Spencer Dinwiddie: Expanded Role, Expectations for Mavs

The Jalen Brunson backup plan might already be in Dallas.

With the looming free agency decision of Jalen Brunson this offseason, there have been many questions asked about the next move for the Dallas Mavericks. Who will they sign with their taxpayer's trade exception? Who will they trade for? How will the fill Brunson's shoes? The answer may be already in house.

Since entering the league in the 2014-2015 season, Spencer Dinwiddie has taken whatever role his team has given him. He has proven himself to be a person that will do what it takes to get the win, whether that means improving his shooting from 3 or putting his head down and driving to the basket. If Brunson does wind up signing with the New York Knicks, the Mavs may need Dinwiddie to step into a more significant role. 

Dinwiddie has proven that he can step in as a starter if that is what is needed. The Mavericks will have Tim Hardaway Jr. back from injury. However, Hardaway has shown that he can be the bench scorer the Mavs have needed in the past. This might be Dinwiddie's time to step back into a starting role.

One area where Dinwiddie has increased his game is in his average points per game. This past season, Dinwiddie averaged his third highest points per game at 15.8. This is almost three points higher than his career average. This was bolstered by the 40 percent Dinwiddie shot on 3-pointers, marking the highest percentage of his career. He also averaged the third highest free throw attempts per game of his career at almost five free per game.

There were times when Dallas needed a boost, especially if Luka Doncic was in foul trouble or injured. Dinwiddie often came came up with big shots.

The Mavs' answer, if Brunson leaves, may not have to hinge on who they can bring in to fill the void. It may just require some elevated expectations from Dinwiddie.