NBA Rumors: Nets Haven't Ruled out Trading Spencer Dinwiddie After Kyrie Irving Deal

Spencer Dinwiddie's return to Brooklyn may be short-lived.

NBA insider Marc Stein reported the Nets have "not ruled out" trading Dinwiddie before Thursday's 3 p.m. ET deadline.

Brooklyn acquired Dinwiddie and Dorian Finney-Smith as part of Sunday's trade that sent Kyrie Irving to the Dallas Mavericks.

The Nets would not be allowed to trade Dinwiddie along with multiple players until the offseason, so their options may be limited. That said, it's noteworthy Brooklyn seemingly acquired the veteran guard more as a trade piece than someone the team believes can fit alongside Kevin Durant over the long term.

Dinwiddie previously played for the Nets from 2016 to 2021 before signing a three-year, $54 million contract with the Washington Wizards in free agency. He was among the players who helped turn around Brooklyn's culture amid a yearslong rebuild process after the infamous Kevin Garnett-Paul Pierce trade debacle.

Dinwiddie is averaging 17.7 points, 5.3 assists and 3.1 rebounds over 53 games this season in Dallas. He's under contract for $18.9 million next season, the final year of his deal.

In the span of about 12 months, the Nets have gone from having Durant, Irving and James Harden to having Durant as the lone superstar remaining on their roster. Figuring out a way to flip Dinwiddie and picks into a bonafide All-Star might be the only way to satiate Durant's desire to win.

Otherwise, they might be looking at another trade demand this offseason.