With the regular season under a week away, the Charlotte Hornets waived veteran guard Spencer Dinwiddie to finalize their roster heading into the new campaign.
Dinwiddie, who signed a one-year deal with the Hornets as a free agent in July, was part of Charlotte’s preseason team. However, due to the team’s excess of active players, the Hornets were forced to make the move to trim their roster down, according to Spotrac’s Keith Smith.
It is apparent from Spencer Dinwiddie’s preseason performances that he struggled to assert himself as a role player in Charlotte’s rotation. In two games, he averaged 3.0 points, 1.5 rebounds, and 3.0 assists per game on 33.3% shooting overall in 15 minutes played.
With his skill set, Dinwiddie has established himself as a reliable backup point guard and scoring boost off the bench. Last season with the Dallas Mavericks, he appeared in 79 games and averaged 11.0 points, 2.6 rebounds, and 4.4 assists per game on 41.6% shooting overall and 33.4% from three-point range.
Considering his status as a free agent, several teams around the league could look to sign him to address their pending roster issues. With this in mind, we explore four potential landing spots for Spencer Dinwiddie.
Indiana Pacers
When considering the teams around the league that feature the need for depth in the point guard position, the Indiana Pacers are certainly one that stands out. With their star Tyrese Haliburton being indefinitely sidelined after sustaining an ACL injury during the NBA Finals, the Pacers suffered a massive blow to their rotation.
Although recent updates have presented a more positive outlook as the team continues to adapt to Haliburton’s absence, the recent injury sustained by T.J. McConnell has further depleted their backcourt.
With this in mind, Indiana could benefit from signing a capable veteran like Spencer Dinwiddie on a short-term basis.
Dinwiddie’s scoring upside makes him a valuable asset off the bench. Considering that Indiana’s system isn’t typically dependent on a single player to carry the offense, the 32-year-old could be quite an effective addition as a backup scorer and playmaker.
The Pacers may face early challenges this season. But with Dinwiddie, Indiana would manage to bring some balance to their rotation.
Milwaukee Bucks
Like the Pacers, the Milwaukee Bucks also feature a depleted backcourt. Although their offense is primarily carried by Giannis Antetokounmpo, having a veteran point guard to act as the floor general for the second unit would be beneficial.
The Bucks currently possess two young point guards in Cole Anthony and Ryan Rollins. While they have the potential to be productive, especially with Anthony joining the starting lineup, Rollins may still require further development.
On that note, signing Dinwiddie could be beneficial. Aside from his secondary playmaking ability, the guard has also been proven to be effective as a role player on younger teams. With this scoring upside acting as a boost from the bench, he could be an impactful addition.
The pressure on the Bucks to be competitive in the upcoming season is immense. Although Antetokounmpo expressed his intentions to remain in Milwaukee, it was worth noting that he also left the door open for a trade.
Spencer Dinwiddie’s addition may not miraculously transform them into a more competitive unit, but it could give them the necessary depth to hold their own in the East.
Phoenix Suns
The Phoenix Suns could be an interesting landing spot for Spencer Dinwiddie. While their starting backcourt has the potential to be offensively dynamic, with the pair of Devin Booker and Jalen Green, the lack of depth at the point guard position could be a concern.
At the current juncture, the Suns’ bench features Jordan Goodwin and Collin Gillespie in the point guard rotation. Given that Goodwin is primarily a 3-and-D specialist and Gillespie is a developing talent with scoring upside, the Suns could look to bring in more support by acquiring a versatile scorer and playmaker like Dinwiddie.
Aside from his skill set, Dinwiddie’s length also makes him a flexible addition to the defensive unit. With an average of 0.9 steals per game last season, he could be useful in upgrading the perimeter defense in the second unit.
The Western Conference is expected to be extremely competitive in the upcoming season. Although the Suns could still shock some of the top teams in the league, ensuring that they have the depth to sustain their performance through the season could be crucial.
Toronto Raptors
The Toronto Raptors may not be a favorable destination for Spencer Dinwiddie on paper, but it could be an interesting opportunity for him to be a part of a competitive unit.
For the 2025-26 season, the Raptors feature a talented young core led by Scottie Barnes, Brandon Ingram, and RJ Barrett. With several top teams falling out of contention due to roster issues, Toronto has the potential to be a Play-In team.
The Raptors have a solid starting point guard in Immanuel Quickley. Additionally, they have two talented guards in Ochai Agbaji and Gradey Dick coming off the bench. Although this is impressive, the playmaking depth appears to be relatively bare. To address this, signing a player like Spencer Dinwiddie could prove to be useful.
Considering that Toronto’s offense primarily sees Barnes or Barrett take over playmaking duties, Dinwiddie may not receive much playing time. However, having him as insurance in the event of an injury could be useful in maintaining balance as the season progresses.
Will Spencer Dinwiddie Remain In The NBA?
This offseason has been particularly challenging for free agents, especially veterans. With teams opting for younger players with more upside, former stars like Ben Simmons and Russell Westbrook also found it challenging to join a new team.
Although Westbrook eventually succeeded in signing a contract with the Sacramento Kings, it came after a long period of waiting. With this in mind, the outlook for Spencer Dinwiddie isn’t too promising.
As top-tier teams round out their rosters and lower-tier teams keep an eye on their salary cap, Spencer Dinwiddie may only end up finding a team during the course of the season, potentially right before the trade deadline.
