DALLAS. Spencer Dinwiddie, who often attributes his phenomenal early entry to the Dallas Mavericks to the team’s culture and role definition, admitted on Saturday that the feeling that he was a bad teammate during his brief stint with the Washington Wizards bothered him.
Dinwiddie arrived in Dallas on the trade deadline along with forward Davis Bertans in a deal for Kristaps Porzingis. Dinwiddie signed a three-year, $54 million contract with the Wizards during the off-season, but there were reports that he was disliked in the Washington locker room.
“I think that’s what hurt the most,” Dinwiddie said after playing with 36 points and seven assists in the Mavericks’ 114-113 win over the Sacramento Kings on Sunday. “I never scolded Washington. I never said anything bad about the team. Actually, I thank the owner or chairman Ted. [Leonsis]I thank Tommy Sheppard, GM and I thank [Bradley Beal] for those three who collectively decided to give me my contract. They didn’t have to pay someone who got out of the ACL.
“I appreciate it, I appreciate my time spent there… So being beaten on my way out the door must have hurt my feelings. I think I’m human, of course.”
Dinwiddie quickly became a major contributor, becoming the Mavs’ sixth player. He averaged 22.2 points and 6.0 assists while shooting 57.1% from the floor in five games after the All-Star break, playing a major role in closing a pair of victories over the Golden State Warriors during that period.
“He was very receptive to training and to his teammates, and they trust him,” said Dallas coach Jason Kidd. “That’s one of the hardest things: how quickly does trust build up? I think you can see that confidence is at a very high level when he’s on the floor.”
Asked why he seems to be a much better fit for Dallas than Washington, Dinwiddie replied: “Not to beat a dead horse, I just think our commitment to the team and winning the games is all that matters.” “.
The Mavs are 6-1 up when Dinwiddie plays, including Saturday’s win when he took over from Luka Doncic as the superstar rested with a minor toe injury. Dinwiddie said that he feels free to be aggressive, understanding exactly what Mawam needs from him, especially his ability to penetrate.
“I do what I do and don’t do what I shouldn’t do,” Dinwiddie said. “It goes from one to 15. Everyone here has that type of mentality because we understand that to win basketball games, not just in the regular season, but to win the playoffs, you need it.”
Dinwiddie also noted that his time at Wizards began long before the problems arose. He averaged 17.0 points and 6.0 assists during Washington’s 10–3 start, making several clutch throws during that stretch despite returning early from knee surgery.
“I fought for these guys,” said Dinwiddie, who averaged just 8.4 points on 27% shooting as the Wizards lost eight of his last nine games in Washington uniform. “When the role changed and they wanted me to pass more – they felt I was scoring a lot – I did that. [Kyle Kuzma] as well as [Kentavious Caldwell-Pope] and these guys are shooting. I said, “Look, I’ve already been paid. It’s about you all trying to get the injections you want, whatever it is.”
“So when I was thrown out the door, it was a wild feeling. I really haven’t experienced this before. But I still can’t say anything bad other than that yes, it hurt my feelings. look at your new situation with cautious optimism. So far everything fits great. I love what they’re asking me to do here, which is coloring, and I’m going to keep doing that and keep trying to be helpful.”