Spencer Dinwiddie nearing deal with Washington Wizards (Report)

Spencer Dinwiddie was a core piece of the Brooklyn Nets’ long rebuild, but he’s heading south for the Washington Wizards.

So long, Spencer Dinwiddie. The Brooklyn Nets are letting their sixth man and an integral piece of the long, brutal rebuild take his talents to the Washington Wizards.

Spencer Dinwiddie is nearing an agreement with the Washington Wizards that will pay roughly $60 million over three years, per league sources. Talks are still ongoing in their Los Angeles meeting.

— Jake Fischer (@JakeLFischer) August 3, 2021

Dinwiddie is getting a nice payday for making the move to D.C. According to reports, he will make around $60 million over three years. It’s worth noting that Dinwiddie only played three games for the Nets last season after suffering a partial tear in his ACL that required surgery.

Although general manager Sean Marks says the Nets are “married to the luxury tax,” it’s clear that there is a limit. Signing Dinwiddie to a contract worth $18.5 million next season would add an extra $87 million to the luxury tax.

When people ask why Brooklyn just doesn’t sign Spencer Dinwiddie outright, here’s why:

Would cost them an extra $87M

Current After pic.twitter.com/Z8EwO520Jv

— Bobby Marks (@BobbyMarks42) August 1, 2021

Apparently, that is too high of a number for Nets owner Joe Tsai, a Chinese billionaire who bought the team in 2019.

Dinwiddie is one of the best options on the market for Brooklyn. They could use another creator on the second unit and Dinwiddie has already proved that he can flourish in that role.

Furthermore, the Nets were decimated by injuries in the playoffs — including Dinwiddie. Giving up on one of their better guys for financial reasons seems like an oversight. It’s possible that the injury issues pop up in the playoffs next year. If that’s the case, letting Dinwiddie walk could lead to another disappointing exit in the playoffs.

Nothing is final with Dinwiddie’s contract yet, but all signs point to his tenure with the Nets ending.

Check out ESNY’s Nets free agency tracker for all the latest Brooklyn news.