Veteran NBA forward Jared Dudley appears prepared to retire as a player, having reportedly agreed to become an assistant coach on Jason Kidd‘s Mavericks staff. However, Dudley tells Bill Plaschke of The Los Angeles Times that his first choice this summer would’ve been to return to the Lakers as a player.
“I thought I was coming back to the Lakers,” Dudley said. “This is crazy.”
As Plaschke explains, Dudley would have been willing to accept a non-guaranteed contract, and veteran Lakers like LeBron James, Anthony Davis, and Russell Westbrook wanted him to return (James published a series of tweets expressing his dismay over Dudley’s departure). However, Los Angeles appears to be prioritizing filling out its last couple open roster spots with younger players.
“I talked to (executives) Rob (Pelinka) and Kurt (Rambis), I thanked them, but I told them, ‘You’re valuing youth more than a locker room presence guy,'” Dudley told Plaschke. “I said, ‘I respect you for doing that, but I think you’re wrong.’
“… My job was way more than a locker room presence,” Dudley added. “You’re a guidance counselor, a relationship expert. … I’m the middle-man that brings it all together.”
Even if the Lakers didn’t want to re-sign Dudley as a player, it would have made sense for the team to offer him a spot on its coaching staff. Perhaps Dudley preferred to join Kidd in Dallas, but Plaschke’s story makes it sound as if the Lakers didn’t discuss the possibility of the 36-year-old retiring and becoming a coach.
With Dudley no longer in the picture, the Lakers continue to consider how to fill out the openings on a 15-man roster whose only returning players are James, Davis, Talen Horton-Tucker, and Marc Gasol.
“No one owed me anything, Rob and Kurt were honest and upfront, nothing but respect and gratitude to them and (team owner) Jeanie (Buss), I will be forever thankful for the opportunity they gave me,” Dudley told Plaschke. “But I did want to come back. I did think I could help the team, especially having so many new players, but I understand they wanted to get younger.”
“only returning players are James, Davis, and Marc Gasol.”
You forgot Talen Horton-Tucker
Thanks — had missed him since he became a free agent, then re-signed.
Dudley is 36 years old
His age is qualified for Lakers unless Lakers have double standard
Why were the Lakers interested in Iguodala a few days ago?
Iguodala is 37
Cavs got rid of LJ’s guys for the last year of his window ’18 and he bolted. When he left Miami ’14 he said it was because they made personnel moves he didn’t like.
LJ likes his associates; whoever his gang is.
2 years left on contract.
Didnt he just sign a 4 year extension adding 2 years???
If so, was not noted by Bas.Ref.
Dec 2 ’20 he extended to 2023.
Davis and Westbrook need load management
Lakers can do 4 superstars lineup
Back court
LeBron and Melo, offense
Front court
Howard and Gasol, defense
Lebron probably needs load management too lol he turns 37 this year
Melo, Howard and Gasol are superstars like Larry Bird is a superstar.
Why even talk about it?? Just be happy with the current job with Mavs. Lame!
If the biggest attribute you are going to bring to the team is being a locker room presence, it’s time to start preparing yourself for a move into a coaching/front office role. I understand that having a seasoned vet on the back end of the bench is valuable but the Lakers aren’t short on veteran leadership with this roster. With that being said, I appreciate Dudley’s time as a Laker and wish him nothing but success in his future endeavors.
Udonis Haslem has been nothing but a locker room presence for the last five yesrs. I agree with you, just retire and try to coach a g-league team, get seasoned and come back later. Sign an undrafted guy for that 15th spot, make scouts earn their money
Udonis is a career Heat though so that makes a little more sense plus the Lakers roster this season is shaped a lot differently with way more old guys. Not too much room for mentoring with the advanced age of the team. I agree that they need to look for a youngster to soak in the season with the big dogs and get prepared to step into a role once the wheels fall off
Essentially dudley is saying he wants to get paid to do nothing. He doesn’t want to have to work, while also getting a ring for his service as a bench warmer. Talk to him and youd think his 8 minutes in the regular season was the main reason why lakers won a chip.
Pretty sure Dudley works, that’s kind of part of mentoring younger guys (showing them how to work and be a professional.) It’s not a shock that he wanted to come back but my point was at this stage he should’ve seen it coming sooner rather than later…too bad Vogel didn’t offer him a spot on the bench but I’m sure the Mavs will be lucky to have him aboard
@Tatsumaki
Dudley has earned over $60 mil on his career. I’m sure the vets minimum doesn’t mean anything to him. im sure he’ll probably miss the game and comradery more.
Pelinka would never think of making Dudley a coach and paying him a small salary, outside the luxury tax, to coach.
He’s only focused on big names, and makes moves from necessity.
He should’ve convinced LBJ and AD to go year to year, for the good of the team.
I hope Guggenheim gets Jeanie to hire a real FO executive.
Pelinka is messing up her money by being so dense and closed minded.
He was handed LBJ and overpaid for AD who was coming to LA no matter what.
It’s essentially Klutch sports running the Lakers anyway.
@cryptonerd
a) I’m sure Vogel would prefer to choose his staff. b) why would LBJ go year to year? The salary would still be whatever the player accepts c) How do YOU know he would’ve come to LA no matter what? Why take that chance?
and btw, they delivered a chip. be happy.
Name a team as old as the Lakers that won a championship? It’s possible, will be interesting to see but if you thought the Clippers perfected the concept of load management wait until you watch this year’s Lakers. Will be fascinating.
I looked that up. The oldest teams tend to be the champions. Of course I’m not sure if the Lakers are much older than that or not. But you can see it at basketball reference.
Experience pays dividends in the NBA, and when you look at Championship teams it definitely shows. Good call out on where people can find that, though.
If the Lakers can keep everyone healthy, the Lakers will win the title. I realize that’s a big “If” there, but I think that’s why they’re prioritizing a younger bench for the regular season.
Almost as interesting as your padres missing the post season after all the smack talk about a shortened season lmao. Clearly you don’t watch the lakers much. Spurs say hello.
I don’t get what you’re trying to say.
1) who cares about the Padres in a Lakers thread?
2) what’s the Spurs reference for, again a Lakers thread?
Sorry, I’m not sure how to respond.
Lakers are super old, but the oldest teams do win championships.
That is simply a FACT. More often than not the champion is one of the oldest teams that year.
The only question is: is this group just TOO old? I don’t know. So it’s going to be great to watch and find out.
Do you think our Big 3 can stay healthy all year? The rest can be mixed and matched but the 3 can’t be replaced.
@toqingagain
name me a team that was so talented Westbrook is the 3rd option and can have gus like Melo, Howard’s, etc coming off the bench.
Sounds like a mistake to me too.
If the age of the 14th man on the roster makes a difference to your championship chances you’ve likely made a huge error in building your roster.
Serious question is there any such thing as a great 12th-15th man? Anyone famous for that?
I can only think of locker rooms chemistry guys like Cornbread Maxwell
Lakers need youth to spell the old guys for more than 8 mins a season. There is a reason all teams only have so many roster spots. Plus, come buy-out time, the Lakers will have a roster spot or 2 to add some other past all star. Lakers should have paid him $100k to be a consultant or something.
I agree with you in general. But we’re talking 14th man not 7th-8th man who will play every night.
Get on the treadmill before you talk bro.
You got the retirement body.
Another drama queen! Shut up and prepare to be the best assistant coach for Mavs! Jeez…
Dudley is being the funny guy that he is, or he’s just grasping at straws ……… there’s hardly any youth movement with the LAKERS.
THT has been with the LAKERS the past 2 years, seems to be improving at a decent pace ……. Nunn’s the same, coming from the HEAT, about a good program there is in the NBA …… Monk has been through enough MJ slaps to know right from wrong.
Dudley should consider himself lucky that a coaching offer came this fast.
Funny the oldest team needed his veteran presence.
You know I heard he did all the player organization stuff like reservations when they were on the road etc. I guess they want a player to do that and not a team representative. There’s probably some locker room code about not talking about all the affairs that happen out there or something