Getty Spencer Dinwiddie #26 of the Dallas Mavericks reacts after scoring
Patience is certainly a virtue, even in the “what have you done for me lately” world of sports. The Chicago Bulls “passed” on Spencer Dinwiddie, not once, but twice. His career progression certainly makes the decisions look worse or, at least, short-sighted. Dinwiddie has turned into one of the better role players in the NBA heading into his ninth season and playing a big part for the Dallas Mavericks.
While they are now flush with guards, including two-time All-Star Zach LaVine, that was not always the case in Chicago.
Their decision looked a lot different at the time. But it’s fair to wonder if they acted prematurely.
Dinwiddie certainly could have helped the Bulls in plenty of past situations along the way. And now, the Bulls are being called out as he figures to have an even bigger role for the Mavs next season.
Bulls Waived Spencer Dinwiddie Twice
“In 2019, he helped the Nets make the NBA Playoffs for the first time in three seasons,” writes Ben Stinar for Sports Illustrated. “He also became a borderline All-Star, and…is currently one of the best role players in the entire NBA. The Bulls definitely made a mistake by giving up on him.”
Dinwiddie was originally a second-round pick of the Detroit Pistons spending his first two seasons there before being traded to the Bulls for the since-retired Cameron Bairstow. The Bulls waived him less than one month later only to re-sign him 21 days after that in 2016.
They would again waive him in October of that year only to sign with the Brooklyn Nets where he developed into the player that he is today.
“[He] averaged a career-high 20.6 points and 6.8 assists per contest during the 2020 season. After getting signed in the middle of the 2017 season, he would play in 274 games for the Nets, and average 14.3 points, 3.0 rebounds, and 5.3 assists per contest.”
Spencer Dinwiddie set a playoff career-high with 30 points in the @dallasmavs Game 7 victory to advance to the Western Conference Finals! #MFFL
@SDinwiddie_25: 30 PTS, 5 3PM
Dinwiddie has turned himself into a fine player and could have an expanded role following the departure of Jalen Brunson to the New York Knicks. But, at the time, his release was the expected result of a numbers game.
The Bulls brought in Dwyane Wade as well as Rajon Rondo and Michael Carter-Williams.
Dinwiddie was traded ahead of this past season in a massive five-team deal and then moved again at the deadline. He has dealt with injuries in his career missing all but three games of the 2021 season with a torn ACL.
It was his second time going through it after treating the same ligament in college.
“I was fortunate enough to still declare that year, went in the second round and grinded through a lot of experiences I’ve been through,” Dinwiddie said of the ordeal, “from the 15th man on the roster and cut on a roster to basically an all-star type of player. I’ve been every player on the roster outside a superstar.” (h/t Kevin Brown/NBC Sports)
Dinwiddie’s three-year, $54 million contract is set to expire after the 2024 season but his salary is also currently non-guaranteed in that year potentially setting up some intrigue down the line.
Trademark of the GarPax Era
This move might be better described as shortsighted rather than a mistake. The Bulls did opt for Jerian Grant over Dinwiddie. But Dinwiddie’s minutes had dwindled even during the preseason to nothing by the final exhibition matchup and they were expected to keep him in the G-League.
Still, this was the prevailing theme of the previous regime in charge of the Bulls, former vice president of basketball operations John Paxson and general manager Gar Forman.
The duo made countless decisions that were questionable then and seem even worse now.
Trading LaMarcus Aldridge for Tyrus Thomas on draft night in 2006. Shipping out Gary Harris and Jusuf Nurkic for Doug McDermott. They then sent McDermott (and fan-favorite Taj Gibson) off in exchange for Cameron Payne and other players.
Zach LaVine was on set of ESPN with “fire GarPax” chants in background. He called some Chicago fans “rowdy” and said “it is what it is.”
Payne had to leave the NBA entirely and re-surface with the Phoenix Suns.
Even GarPax’s last playoff run in charge came from the ill-conceived and short-lived “Three Alphas” approach that they then sabotaged by trading away Jimmy Butler ahead of 2018.
That did set the stage for the current regime led by Bulls vice president Arturas Karnisovas and, perhaps, a greater appreciation for his evaluation periods between major moves. Especially in light of the incomplete sample size of last season.
Potential for Deja Vu with Justin Lewis
Rookie Justin Lewis underwent successful surgery to repair his torn ACL recently and vowed to come back soon. Whenever that ends up being, will he still be a member of the Bulls? Their roster still has some holes and they have very limited resources to fill them.
But how much were they going to count on an undrafted rookie anyway?
Even given his priority status post-draft, there was some thought that Lewis was not ready to be a significant contributor at the NBA level right away for a team with playoff goals.
That, along with the past lessons from their predecessors, could lead Karnisovas and Bulls general manager Marc Eversley to practice the patience that has defined this offseason with Lewis as he recovers from what he called a “minor setback”.