“Love to be back” - Spencer Dinwiddie reveals interest in rejoining Lakers after early exit
Spencer Dinwiddie had high hopes for his stint in Los Angeles with the LA Lakers but struggled to meet those expectations. Despite the challenges of joining a team mid-season as a buyout signing and potentially not having his role fully optimized this season, Dinwiddie was unable to find his rhythm.
During his exit interview, when queried if he would like to return to the Lakers next season, Spencer Dinwiddie's response was predictable, especially considering that he's from Los Angeles and grew up a Lakers fan.
"If the Lakers want me back, I’d love to be back. Everything I said about this being a childhood dream and being able to play in my hometown, parents at every game, stuff like that, you couldn’t imagine anything better.
"Also playing alongside arguably the greatest player of all-time, right? There’s nothing really better than that."
Although Spencer Dinwiddie seemed like a good fit on paper, things never really materialized for him at LA. While he delivered one of the season's highlights with his block on Damian Lillard that helped beat the Milwaukee Bucks, moments like these were too sporadic during his time in Los Angeles.
Closer look at Spencer Dinwiddie's role with LA Lakers
Spencer Dinwiddie's tenure with the Lakers was marked by occasional flashes of offensive brilliance, but these were overshadowed by less impactful performances during the playoffs.
Despite his efforts to adapt to a specific role, they seemed to detract from his overall productivity. It often appeared that Dinwiddie spent much of his time with the Lakers attempting to blend in rather than showcasing the skills that distinguished him earlier in his career.
The Lakers had brought him on board for his unique abilities and not for the altered version of himself that he seemed to become while with the team. It might be worthwhile to bring back the version of Dinwiddie the Lakers initially anticipated, but not the one they ended up with.
It's challenging to forecast the future composition of the Lakers' backcourt, especially with widespread speculation about the team pursuing aggressive trades this summer. High-profile players like Trae Young and Donovan Mitchell are among those rumored to be on the Lakers' radar.
The nine-year veteran has struggled to find his offensive rhythm, averaging only 4.7 points and 2.7 assists in 23.4 minutes per game.