When the Los Angeles Lakers entered the 2024 period of free agency, most expected them to shake up the roster. They were coming off of a postseason that ended in a rather unceremonious manner, falling 4-1 to the Denver Nuggets to cap off a season that can be most accurately described as erratic.
Instead, the Lakers decided to run it back with an almost identical roster to the team they had in 2023-24—with minimal exceptions.
Due in large part to their financial limitations, the Lakers went through free agency without much to show for their efforts. They re-signed Max Christie and LeBron James, but that was the depth of their activity—either passing or missing out on their top targets.
One of the casualties of that approach to free agency was Spencer Dinwiddie, who was passed on by the Lakers and ultimately signed with the Dallas Mavericks.
Dinwiddie played 28 games for the Lakers in 2023-24, averaging 6.8 points and 2.4 assists in 24.2 minutes per game. During his exit interview, he expressed interest in returning to Los Angeles for the 2024-25 season, but the two sides ultimately failed to come to an agreement.
Fast forward to the 2024-25 regular season and the Lakers have been left with their foot in their mouth as Dinwiddie routinely goes off for the short-handed Mavericks.
Spencer Dinwiddie is giving Mavericks exactly what the Lakers need
Dinwiddie's statistics have been relatively pedestrian in 2024-25. He's averaged 7.8 points and 3.2 assists on .402/.366/.857 shooting. That would seemingly paint the picture of a player whom the Lakers were right to let go.
Over the past nine games, however, Dinwiddie has helped the Mavericks overcome Luka Doncic's injury woes and emerged as one of the most improved players in the NBA.
During that nine-game stretch, Dinwiddie has averaged 13.9 points, 5.1 assists, 2.7 rebounds, 1.0 steals, and 2.4 three-point field goals made on .468/.458/.906 shooting. He's scored at least 20 points in three of the Mavericks' past five games, and tallied 10 assists in a win over the Utah Jazz.
It's far from a coincidence that Dallas has gone 8-1 during that time, including an 8-0 record when Dinwiddie has scored at least 10 points or dished out 10 assists.
During that same window, the Lakers have gone 3-6, suffering four different defeats by at least 25 points. One of the primary issues in Los Angeles has been the absence of consistent production at the guard positions.
That only increases the damage of letting Dinwiddie walk and sign with the Mavericks for the veteran's minimum during the 2024 offseason.
Dinwiddie now has more 20-point games in 2024-25 than D'Angelo Russell and Gabe Vincent combined. It's a brutal fact that should have the Lakers kicking themselves for giving up on a player who could've provided invaluable contributions to their erratic rotation of guards.
Compounded by the defensive quality that Dinwiddie provided in 2023-24 and the Lakers have thoroughly lacked in 2024-25, this is looking like Rob Pelinka's biggest offseason blunder.