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The Nets hope Spencer Dinwidde can return to the team sometime during the playoffs to give them a boost as they eye a championship run. But there are no guarantees; though Dinwiddie is ahead of schedule in his return from a partial ACL tear he suffered in December, there are still obstacles for him to clear before he’s NBA ready.
What’s all but a guarantee, though, is what Dinwiddie will do after the season, when he has a chance to opt out of his contract with Brooklyn.
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Dinwiddie Wants to Remain With Nets
It’s been widely reported that Dinwiddie will opt out of his contract after this season. He recently confirmed as much to Forbes’ Shlomo Sprung.
“I’m gonna be more than healthy by the time free agency starts, so just from a dollars perspective you kind of have to,” Dinwiddie told Sprung. “$12 million isn’t market value for a starting point guard. It’s probably about half, 20-25. So obviously it’s pretty concrete that I’m gonna opt out.”
“If Brooklyn wants to use my Bird Rights and sign me, I’d be thankful to be back and be able to go and try to win, hopefully, a second championship. And if not, then as an unrestricted free agent you can kinda choose where you wanna go. It’s an interesting situation to be in.”
Last season, an injury to Kyrie Irving thrust Dinwiddie into a starting role, and the 28-year-old didn’t disappoint. He averaged 20.6 points, 3.5 rebounds and 6.8 assists over 64 games for the Nets. Despite emphasizing his intent to opt out of his contract after the season, Dinwiddie reiterated he hopes his future remains in Brooklyn for the foreseeable future.
“Next season doesn’t start until October, so I know for a fact that I’m gonna be healthy. So that’s gonna be more than fine,” he said. “And we’ll just see what comes of it through negotiations with Sean and Joe. And obviously I hope to stay a Net and I’d like to be there a long time.”
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Dinwiddie Gives Timeline for Return
For the Nets, having their Big Three of Irving, James Harden and Kevin Durant healthy for the postseason is key. Getting Dinwiddie back would be the cherry on top.
He has every intent of making it happen.
“I want to return for the playoffs,” Dinwiddie told Forbes.
The goal, Dinwiddie said, is to return to the court by late June, when the playoffs will be in full swing.
“If you could be the fastest ACL recovery in history at five months, that puts you at June and gives you several weeks to get in shape,” he said. “That’s just me throwing something at the wall.”
Nets general manager Sean Marks was asked about Dinwiddie during a press conference last month and revealed more about Dinwiddie’s short- and long-term future.
“He’s in great hands rehabbing and progressing well in Los Angeles,” Marks said about Dinwiddie, per Forbes. “We know the staff that he’s working there well. Again it goes back to me just saying I would never bet against Spencer Dinwiddie. I think the primary concern for Spencer is his long-term health. Not do anything that’s detrimental to his career or his career longevity. So if there’s an opportunity for him to come back and play during this playoffs we’ll have to evaluate at that time.”
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