5 Mavericks players Spencer Dinwiddie will immediately pass in rotation

Dallas Mavericks fans were excited when the team signed guard Spencer Dinwiddie to a one-year deal to come back to Dallas on July 12. Dinwiddie now holds the final roster spot to conclude the 15-man roster.

Dinwiddie was a key contributor to the Mavs’ run to the 2022 Western Conference Finals, and earned respect from Luka Doncic and head coach Jason Kidd. With Dinwiddie back, Kidd will have a reliable guard who can give him productive minutes.

The move will cause players on the Mavs roster to get fewer minutes per game for next season, and it will lead to players’ roles changing for the better or the worse.

5 Mavericks players Spencer Dinwiddie will immediately pass in rotation

At 31 years old, Dinwiddie has proven himself that he can be a reliable starter or guard off the bench, and he is going to be a huge help for the Mavs next season.

Here are five Mavs players who Dinwiddie will immediately pass in the rotation next season.

5. Maxi Kleber

Over the past two seasons, power forward Maxi Kleber has had injury-prone seasons. Kleber was one player who failed to reach expectations playing 43 games last season, and averaging under five points per game.

Kleber already comes into this season potentially determining whether he will be trade bait or a vital asset moving forward. With Dinwiddie back in Dallas, Kleber’s minutes could decrease.

Kleber’s confidence to shoot the ball went significantly down after he suffered a right shoulder injury in the first round against the LA Clippers. Dinwiddie doesn’t lack confidence to shoot the ball, and will always be a threat to let it fly when he’s in the game.

With Dinwiddie on the court, the Mavs can run a successful small-ball lineup to go with Doncic and Kyrie Irving. Kleber will still have the role of being a veteran voice in the locker room, and he’ll likely still play a decent amount.

Mavs fans can expect Dinwiddie to get more minutes than Kleber for next season and should be excited with how he has played before in Dallas.

4. Dwight Powell

Just like big man Maxi Kleber, Dwight Powell is another big man who will be seeing his minutes drop with Spencer Dinwiddie signing back in Dallas.

Last season wasn’t much of an exciting season for Powell. Despite playing 19 more games than Kleber, Powell played fewer minutes and averaged fewer points per game than Kleber. That doesn’t help him much at all to get more minutes for next season as well.

Powell played in just 13 games for the Mavs in the 2024 Playoffs, and mostly got playing time when it was garbage time late in the fourth quarter. Dinwiddie isn’t a player who is worthy of playing in garbage time like Powell. Dinwiddie has been able to come through hitting clutch shots, and play well in the Playoffs when the Mavs needed him most.

Powell’s main role on the Mavs is to be the team’s veteran leader, and provide excellent team leadership more than Dinwiddie because Dinwiddie will be seeing more minutes. The Mavs are fortunate to have Powell who has a strong voice, but his minutes will go down more now that Dinwiddie is back on the team.

Powell will be the second big man on the Mavs that will not be getting a good amount of minutes with Dinwiddie back on the team. Dinwiddie has proved more than Powell has in his short Mavs tenure to why he can get more minutes.

It should be expected that Dinwiddie will immediately pass Powell, but both players’ roles are important.

3. Oliver-Maxence Prosper

Mavs fans were hoping that Oliver-Maxence Prosper would have a stand-out rookie season. Unfortunately, Prosper didn’t have a super successful rookie season despite being a 2023 first-round draft pick. Now with Spencer Dinwiddie back on the Mavs, Prosper might not be able to get minutes with his struggles from last season.

Prosper didn’t play in half of the Mavs’ games last season, and averaged just three points last season. Prosper also played in just three 2024 Playoff games and didn’t score a point. Dinwiddie is a player who can come into a game and score immediately.

The Mavs also might not want to wait for Prosper to develop knowing Dinwiddie is a proven player who can fit on the team. The Mavs also might find a way to insert Dinwiddie into the starting lineup too if and when injuries happen.

Prosper can play the small forward position, and he’ll need to have an improved sophomore season to cement his spot in the Mavs’ core. His Summer League didn’t go as well as expected, but he has the tools to be a good wing in the NBA.

Now with Dinwiddie back, the Mavs could have him in the lineup. The Mavs could have Dinwiddie and Kyrie Irving at the one or two, then move Luka Doncic to small forward and run a guard-heavy lineup.

If needed, Dinwiddie can be a starter. Prosper still has plenty of time to develop, but don’t expect him to play in front of Dinwiddie.

2. Jaden Hardy

Guard Jaden Hardy had the chance to get more playing time with Tim Hardaway Jr. and Josh Green gone in free agency. More playing time was something Hardy needed as he’s on an expiring restricted contract, and needs a good season to show the Mavs to keep him to be a core piece and not trade him. Spencer Dinwiddie back in Dallas doesn’t help Hardy’s case for more minutes.

Hardy was an unexpected X-factor in the Timberwolves Playoff matchup but was also unplayable in the Playoffs at times. Hardy’s first time in the Playoffs seemed to cause some nervousness for the second-year guard at times. With the veteran that Dinwiddie is, the Mavs won’t have to worry about him being unplayable in the Playoffs.

Hardy also saw inconsistencies from his rookie year to his second year. Hardy’s averages in key areas dropped from his rookie year.

The Mavs don’t need to wait around for Hardy to improve his game knowing that Dinwiddie is a reliable player who is ready to come in at any point in the game to rise to the occasion. Also, with the Mavs in a win-now phase, Dinwiddie is more of a contributing player to help the Mavs win now than a player who will be entering his third season and had inconsistencies last season.

Hardy was likely hoping to find himself having a bigger role for the Mavs, but it isn’t looking promising with Dinwiddie on the roster.

1. Dante Exum

When Tim Hardaway Jr. and Derrick Jones Jr. left the Mavs this summer, it looked like guard Dante Exum would have his role increase, and be one of the first players off the bench. Exum desperately needs to have an effective season being on an expiring contract. Now that Spencer Dinwiddie is back in Dallas, he will likely be the guard who will be ahead of Exum in the rotation.

Exum showed he was capable of being an excellent 3-point shooter as he shot 49 percent from three last season. The transition didn’t carry over into the Playoffs, and Exum struggled. Exum’s struggles led him to play less than seven minutes per game in the Playoffs. The Mavs can’t afford for a guard to be inconsistent with a deep guard team.

Dinwiddie is capable of being a consistent 3-point shooter year-round, and will not lack the confidence to shoot the three. Exum wasn’t much of a scorer in the Playoffs either, and scoring in the Playoffs is something Dinwiddie is capable of doing.

Exum has been a liability at moments when he’s been on the Mavs, and the Mavs might not want to wait for Exum to break out next season. Dinwiddie proved himself when he was on the Mavs, and his previously earned respect from the organization could lead him to get more playing time than Exum if he outplays him during training camp heading into the regular season.

Dinwiddie will likely have a bigger role in the rotation for the Mavs than Exum entering this season, but both guards provide the Mavs with excellent depth.