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LOS ANGELES — Free agent guard Spencer Dinwiddie signed with the Los Angeles Lakers after clearing waivers Saturday, the team announced.
Dinwiddie, a 30-year-old Los Angeles native, was traded from the Brooklyn Nets to the Raptors for Dennis Schroder and Thaddeus Young on Thursday and subsequently waived by Toronto. Dinwiddie cleared waivers at 5 p.m. ET Saturday.
“Spencer is returning to his roots and the city where his journey began,” Lakers vice president of basketball operations and general manager Rob Pelinka said in a statement Saturday. “We welcome him back to his hometown of Los Angeles. We are thrilled for him to wear the iconic Lakers uniform in front of his family and friends. His play-making and aggressiveness from the guard position provides us valuable depth as we continue our strong push toward the back-half of the season. Spencer adds a wealth of experience to our roster and brings proven success in the postseason.”
A 10-year veteran, Dinwiddie attended the Lakers’ 139-122 win over the New Orleans Pelicans on Friday along with his agent, Jason Glushon of Glushon Sports Management, and sat with Pelinka in a lower-level luxury suite directly across from the team’s bench. After the game, he visited with Lakers players and coaches in the locker room.
D’Angelo Russell, who played with Dinwiddie in Brooklyn, hinted that this move was imminent.
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“I’m a fan,” Russell told ESPN when asked about what kind of person Dinwiddie is. “But you all will get to know him soon.”
Dinwiddie averaged 12.6 points on 39.1% shooting (32% from 3) and 6.0 assists in 48 games for the Nets this season.
LeBron James was asked what Dinwiddie could provide for the Lakers.
“Playmaking, another ball handler, another shot-maker,” James said. “Another guy, another veteran. Anytime you can add a veteran with that ability, it helps. So we’ll see what happens.”
Anthony Davis also endorsed Dinwiddie.
“He’s a big guard, shot-maker, playmaker,” Davis said of the 6-foot-5 Dinwiddie. “Obviously, we’ve seen what he did with Brooklyn, what he did with Dallas making big plays for them. He’s a well-established player of that in his league.”
Dinwiddie narrowed his decision to reuniting with the Mavericks or returning to his hometown before ultimately choosing the Lakers, sources told ESPN.
He will make approximately $1.5 million for the remainder of the season, sources said. The Lakers were able to offer slightly more than the prorated veterans minimum by adding additional salary saved when Gabe Vincent signed at less than the full midlevel exception.
After a quiet trade deadline, Pelinka vowed to be “aggressive” in the buyout market. Los Angeles already had an open roster spot, so Dinwiddie was able to be signed without the Lakers moving any players to accommodate him.
With Vincent sidelined for most of the season with a knee injury and the Lakers currently missing Cam Reddish (knee) and Max Christie (ankle), Dinwiddie, at the very least, will bring roster depth to a team that has been riddled by injuries.
