Every NBA season unearths a few diamonds in the rough who become key contributors for their teams. Pat Spencer has been that guy for the Golden State Warriors this year, and the league is beginning to take notice.
The third-year guard has been named to the NBA “All-Value Team” by ESPN insider Bobby Marks. The premise of the story is to highlight 15 players, all on playoff contending teams, who are outplaying the value of their contracts.
Spencer, who is making $636,435 this year on a two-way deal, has started three games and averaged 14.3 points, 4.7 rebounds and 5.7 assists while shooting 51.4% from the field and 50% from beyond the arc. For the season, he is averaging 7.2 points, 2.4 rebounds and 3.1 assists while shooting 44.7% from the field and 41.7% from three. Not bad for a player making well below the league minimum.
“If the All-Value Team had a captain, it probably would be Spencer,” Marks wrote.
Pat Spencer’s Value To The Golden State Warriors
Spencer had a unique path to the NBA, as he didn’t even focus on basketball full-time until 2019. He was a lacrosse standout at Loyola, winning the Tewaarton Award (the lacrosse equivalent of the Heisman Trophy) and getting drafted No.1 overall in the 2019 Premier Lacrosse League Draft, before deciding to transfer to Northwestern to pursue professional hoops.
After a few years in the G-League, Spencer signed a two-way deal with the Warriors in 2024 and was thrust into action due to injuries this year. Thankfully for Golden State, the guard has taken full advantage of his opportunity, helping his team stay afloat while Stephen Curry was injured.
In his first career start against the Cleveland Cavaliers on December 6, Spencer scored a career-high 19 points on 58.3% shooting from the field while going 3-4 from downtown, helping the Warriors earn a 99-94 win. He scored in double figures again in his next start against the Chicago Bulls, another win for the Warriors.
Golden State will have a decision to make on Spencer at the end of the regular season. If he is not converted to a standard contract by then, he will be ineligible for the postseason and become a restricted free agent in July.
Pat Spencer’s Brother Is Also Having A Breakout Season
Providing great production at a discount seems to run in the Spencer family, as Pat’s younger brother, Cam Spencer, a guard for the Memphis Grizzlies, also made the All-Value Team.
The second-year pro out of UConn makes a little bit more than his sibling after signing a four-year, $10.4 million contract this summer, but Memphis is still getting a steal, as he is averaging 12.3 points, 2.2 rebounds and 4.2 assists on 50.5% shooting from the field and 50% from three. He broke out earlier this year with a 20-point game against the Utah Jazz on December 12 on 6-6 from three and followed it up with a career-high 27 points on December 15 against the Los Angeles Clippers.
Cam is currently second in the league in three-point percentage (50%) and could end up in the three-point contest during All-Star weekend. If he keeps up this level of efficiency, he’ll be in the running for Sixth Man of the Year. Not bad for a former second-round pick.
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