Spencer Dinwiddie is the newest Laker to join the team this season and while most fans would say his tenure has been a disappointment so far, Dinwiddie says expectations are not the same as they used to be. In a chat with Dan Woike of the LA Times, the veteran point guard opened up on his role with the Lakers and how he's living up to what the Lakers need him to be right now.
“I feel so sometimes like I’m in a Reggie Bullock role getting graded on a Spencer scale sometimes. Where as on a Reggie Bullock scale I feel like I’m doing really well. On a Spencer scale, obviously, I’m doing [poor]. But like, I’m also not in that Spencer position either, you feel me? I came here understanding some of that was going to happen, right? I’m in good spirits and a good space," said Dinwiddie. "I wish we would’ve won a couple more games that we dropped. But overall, the house isn’t on fire in my mind. If you gave me 20 attempts or whatever, I’d go out there and score 30. Like, as y’all have seen throughout my career, that’s not lacking anything. You’d see more dunks and step-back threes and all the other fun stuff you’re accustomed to seeing from me.”
Spencer was once a borderline All-Star with the Brooklyn Nets, where he averaged 20.6 points per game during the 2019-20 season. Ever since that stretch, Spencer has struggled to score with the same effectiveness and his efficiency has been downright ugly.
With the Lakers, in particular, Spencer has been really bad. In 15 games so far, Dinwiddie is averaging 4.6 points, 2.7 assists, and 1.1 rebounds per game on 35% shooting. And while his play does not look on track to change, the Lakers may not need him to make a meaningful run this year.
Los Angeles Lakers Are Gearing Up For Upcoming Playoff Run
Dinwiddie was the final piece of the plan this season, and his arrival was intended to help the Lakers boost their depth in the backcourt. Ideally, with Dinwiddie's shooting and scoring abilities, it would open up the floor for his teammates and provide a spark offensively to lighten the load on LeBron James and Anthony Davis.
But with Dinwiddie's shooting pretty much non-existent right now, the Lakers cannot rely on him to power a playoff run. As usual, their fate is tied to the play of their two stars.
In year 21, LeBron James needs more help than ever to maintain a good team but he's still one of the best and most impactful players in the game. He's putting up over 25.5 points per game this season and has been crucial for the team as the main initiator of the offense.
If he can stay healthy, Anthony Davis could make things interesting in the West bracket and his defense is bound to cause problems in the right matchup.
Beyond those two, it remains to be seen which players will step up. Whether it's Austin Reaves, D'Angelo Russell, or Spencer Dinwiddie, the Lakers are betting on at least one of their veteran role players to elevate their game and they'll need it to have any hope of a long playoff run.
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