When the Los Angeles Lakers elected to not make any moves at the NBA trade deadline, a lot of people were scratching their heads.
It’s no secret that the Lakers are running out of time in the LeBron James era and despite running back most of the roster that made the Western Conference Finals last year, they have struggled to string wins together so far this season.
While the Lakers have played better in recent weeks, a trade seemed necessary in order to get the team back into championship contention. As Rob Pelinka said though, you can’t buy a house that’s not for sale, and the Lakers did feel that any worthwhile deals were out there for them.
The Lakers have kept an open roster spot all season in order to chase someone on the buyout market, however, and it did not take long for Pelinka to get to work. Pelinka and the Lakers hosted Spencer Dinwiddie for a visit during Friday night’s game against the New Orleans Pelicans after the guard was traded from the Brooklyn Nets to the Toronto Raptors and then subsequently waived.
Shortly after, it was reported that Dinwiddie is expected to sign with the Lakers, returning home to L.A. for the rest of the season. The team later announced the signing after he cleared waivers.
According to Jovan Buha of The Athletic, the Lakers will give Dinwiddie $1.5 million for the rest of the season:
Spencer Dinwiddie is signing for $1.5 million for the second half of the Lakers season, sources tell me and @ShamsCharania. The Lakers were able to offer Dinwiddie more than a minimum contract due to not using their full non-taxpayer mid-level exception on Gabe Vincent.
— Jovan Buha (@jovanbuha) February 10, 2024
There is also an interesting incentive in the contract, per Bobby Marks of ESPN:
As @mcten reported, the Lakers signed Spencer Dinwiddie to the remaining portion of their non-tax mid level exception.
Here is the breakdown:
Base
2023-24- $1,554,654
Incentive
$1- If the Lakers win the NBA Championship
— Bobby Marks (@BobbyMarks42) February 11, 2024
The Lakers did not give their full mid-level exception to Gabe Vincent over the summer which is why they have some money left over to give Dinwiddie more than the minimum. That gave the Lakers the luxury of offering him more than most other teams, which could have been a factor in him choosing to sign with L.A.
With the addition of Dinwiddie, the Lakers now have a full roster of 15 players. If they want to add another player on the buyout market then they would need to waive someone, although that is feasible while still remaining below the hard cap.
Lakers stars discuss what Spencer Dinwiddie will bring to team
After Dinwiddie showed up to the Lakers’ game, LeBron James was asked what he could potentially bring to the team.
“Playmaking, another ball handler, another shot-maker. Another guy, another veteran. Anytime you can add a veteran with that ability, it helps,” James said.
Anthony Davis shared similar thoughts as James when discussing Dinwiddie’s skillset and how he can help the Lakers.
“He’s a big guard,” Davis said. “Shotmaker, playmaker, obviously we’ve seen what he did in Brooklyn, Dallas, making big plays for them. He’s a well established player and vet in this league.”
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