Minnesota Timberwolves Receive: G Spencer Dinwiddie, F Dorian Finney-Smith

Dallas Mavericks Receive: G D’Angelo Russell

If this trade transpired, it wouldn’t be the first time D’Angelo Russell and Spencer Dinwiddie were compared.

It wasn’t so long ago that the two were teammates on the Brooklyn Nets. Given the current state of the Nets, that may be hard to believe. Still, only a few short years ago, these two were battling it out in practice on a routine basis.

There’s a strong basis of comparison for them as well. Neither is an exceptional athlete, but both are crafty enough to compensate for that disadvantage as pick-and-roll ball-handlers.

Furthermore, neither is an elite shooter, but both are strong enough in that category so as to not alter their team’s offensive strategy.

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With all that said, it shouldn’t be controversial to say that by now, we know Russell is a better player. Realistically, it’s his floor vision that puts him over the edge. Dinwiddie has a score-first mindset, where Russell, in spite of having similar scoring tools, is a threat to score or pass.

The question is whether the gap between them is wide enough for the Mavericks to sacrifice Dorian Finney-Smith.