Spencer Dinwiddie’s potential absence would leave Brooklyn almost unrecognizable when the season resumes. How will the team cope without so many core players?
The Nets might not have much of a team by the time they get to Orlando. Spencer Dinwiddie announced on Monday that he may sit out after testing positive for COVID-19. Then DeAndre Jordan announced he had tested positive, too, and will skip the restart. We already knew Wilson Chandler (spending time with family), and rookie Nic Claxton (shoulder surgery) won’t be there, while Kevin Durant and Kyrie Irving won’t play until next season. Brooklyn also has an interim head coach in Jacque Vaughn after Kenny Atkinson was fired right before the shutdown on March 11.
Dinwiddie would be the biggest loss, outside of KD and Kyrie. The 27-year-old was averaging career highs in points (20.6 per game), assists (6.8), and rebounds (3.5) as the primary option on offense. A 6-foot-5 guard who can get to the rim at will, he was perfect for Atkinson’s spread pick-and-roll offense. The Nets (30-34), currently the no. 7 seed in the East, were unlikely to make noise in the playoffs even with a healthy Dinwiddie. Their focus without him will likely shift to developing young players.
