NBA free agency 2021: Wizards close to a deal for Nets' Spencer Dinwiddie. Per report

According to Adrian Wojnarowski of ESPN, the Washington Wizards are close to signing a deal-and-trade to sign guard Spencer Dinwiddie from Brooklyn Nets.

NBA free agency 2021: Wizards close to a deal for Nets' Spencer Dinwiddie. Per report

The deal would pay him roughly $60 million over three years, according to Bleacher Report's Jake Fischer. However, the deal isn't yet done because the Wizards don't have enough cap space to sign Dinwiddie. The Wizards must sign a trade agreement with Brooklyn. This strategy is fraught with complications.

Because of their three stars, Kyrie Irving, James Harden and Kevin Durant (the Nets), the luxury tax will not be an issue next season. The Nets could be the most expensive basketball team next season if Joe Harris and DeAndre are signed to big contracts. Without a third team, a Dinwiddie trade-and-sign might ensure that. To make the trade legal, the Nets would need to return 80 percent of Dinwiddie’s salary. This would increase their tax bill to an all-time high. To make this move possible, it is likely that the Nets will have to redirect salary elsewhere.

There are many ways to do this. Oklahoma City has ample space to absorb contracts. Teams have trade exceptions that can absorb contracts Brooklyn may want to move. These moves are rarely cheap. Draft capital might be required to make such a move legal. Both sides will likely be discussing these details and trying find a way for Dinwiddie, who is currently in Washington, to travel to Washington without affecting the Nets' financial situation.

It seems that there is optimism that such an arrangement could be made. Dinwiddie would be replacing Russell Westbrook at point guard for the Wizards, completing a roster overhaul that has taken place in less than a week. The Wizards hope those moves convince Bradley Beal to remain in Washington for the long haul. The Nets discovered in 2019 that Dinwiddie is a great free-agent recruiter. If a deal is made, Dinwiddie will have one year to convince Beal to stay in Washington.