To cover the fifteenth spot on the roster, the Dallas Mavericks required one more player. Guard Spencer Dinwiddie was signed by the Mavs to a one-year contract to complete their roster.
Dinwiddie returned to Dallas as a result of the signing. Dinwiddie was crucial to the Mavs’ success in reaching the Western Conference Finals in 2022. After that, in the 2023 trade for Kyrie Irving, Dinwiddie was sent to the Brooklyn Nets. However, Dinwiddie’s game is well known to Mavs supporters, who should be happy to see him back in D.C.
Dinwiddie’s return has put pressure on a few players on the team, though.
Following Dinwiddie’s signing, four Mavericks were traded for other players.
With Dinwiddie back, there’s a chance that some players will see less playing time. Some players may find themselves out of Dallas by the time the trade deadline arrives.
The Mavericks have a very deep roster, and while adding Dinwiddie helps a number of players, it also may force them to trade some depth in the event that some are not performing up to par.
Following the signing of Spencer Dinwiddie, these four Dallas Mavericks players became instant trade bait.
4. The Maxi Kleber
Power forward Maxi Kleber and guard Spencer Dinwiddie are both on the team. However, Kleber would be traded for Dinwiddie when he returned to Dallas.
Kleber was already toeing the line between trade bait and valuable asset before the Mavs signed Dinwiddie. Dinwiddie’s addition to the squad puts additional pressure on Kleber to perform better.
After suffering two seasons of injuries, Kleber’s confidence was low during the 2024 NBA Playoffs after he recovered from a right shoulder injury. Dinwiddie has been healthy for the majority of his career and doesn’t hesitate to shoot the ball.
With two years left at $11 million annually, Kleber’s contract is also tradable. The Mavs have a talented backcourt, so they could trade Kleber to further improve their front line.
Now that Dinwiddie is back in Dallas, Kleber would be among the first Mavericks players to be considered as a trade chip. Due to his persistent injuries and declining play over the years, the 32-year-old forward is under more pressure than ever before.
Since that Dinwiddie and Kleber play different positions, it goes without saying that Dinwiddie won’t take up too many minutes from Kleber; however, Dinwiddie may find himself higher on the depth chart and force Kleber to prove he deserves more playing time.
The Hard Knocks replay of the situation made it clear that the Giants had a figure they never planned to go above to retain the running back. It also made apparent that Barkley had one foot out the door after the previous offseason’s debacle with the franchise tag.
“I never felt like we really got a fair negotiation,” Barkley said, noting that the 2023 offer didn’t include the same level of guarantees he sought.
Ultimately, neither side seemed ecstatic with how the process played out in New York.
“Joe, he made a comment that (negotiations) took 10 years off his life. It took 10 years off your life? What do you think it did for me?” Barkley said.
Now Barkley runs forward in Philadelphia with his new Eagles teammates. The division rivals face off for the first time in Week 7 when Philly travels to MetLife Stadium for Barkley’s first #RevengeGame against his former club.