Nets coach vows to ‘find minutes’ for this emerging guard
Entering his second year with the Nets, backup point guard Spencer Dinwiddie has impressed coach Kenny Atkinson.
The 24-year-old, selected 38th overall in the 2014 draft by the Pistons, joined the Nets in the middle of last season to help a struggling backcourt that was without the injured Jeremy Lin. Through 59 games, Dinwiddie averaged 7.3 points, 3.1 assists, and 2.8 rebounds in 22.6 minutes per game, making 18 starts.
Though the Nets could have waived him — his contract was not fully guaranteed — they opted to keep him and now seem pleased with that decision.
“As well as he is developing, I’m really excited about him,” Atkinson said Friday. “I think he’s going to have a really good year. I felt it all summer. I felt him getting better. I felt him getting more confident.”
Atkinson went on to stress how much trust he has in Dinwiddie, calling him “reliable” and asserting that “we have to find minutes for him.”
With increased depth, juggling minutes is going to be a challenge for Atkinson this year.
“You can’t play 15 [players],” he said. “It’s hard to play 12. Eleven we can do. Ten is, you know, probably ideal. But with the depth we have, that might push us to 11.”
Still, Atkinson said he believes there will be opportunities for everyone throughout the long regular season, and he is looking at the logjam under a positive light.
“It’s a good problem to have, I think,” he said.
Guards Allen Crabbe (ankle sprain) and Caris LeVert (ankle sprain) did not practice Thursday but were shooting around together.
Atkinson provided no timetable for their return.
“I don’t want to give a timetable, but I’m optimistic,” he said.
While he admitted they may be held out until the regular season starts Oct. 18, Atkinson said he ideally wants them to see preseason action.