The OKC Thunder 30 for 30 series continues as we head to Brooklyn to examine veteran forward Jared Dudley.
With OKC Thunder great Nick Collison retiring at the completion of last season, Jared Dudley represents an opportunity to replace one of the most adored locker room voices in the NBA.
The 11 year veteran has established himself as a valuable locker room voice and popular mentor among young players at each club he has played for. He provides grit and grind, displaying a competitiveness some players dream of.
After recently being traded to the Brooklyn Nets, Dudley has made an immediate impact on the club despite being there for a short period of time. His eagerness to teach and share wisdom with young players on the roster impacts play on-court.
Rookies and second-year players show exponential growth and understanding of the game on and off the court. Dudley’s attitude off-court is representative of his play on it as he remains a positive contributor.
Oklahoma City are desperate for a back-up power forward. While Jerami Grant is likely to slide up to the four when Patrick Patterson sits, he’s really a wiry, athletic small forward who played above himself last season,
While GM Sam Presti and coach Billy Donovan are heading toward playing fast, Dudley offers a different skill set that complements the talent currently on the roster.
Lets take a deeper look at what Dudley brings, his weaknesses and how Oklahoma City could acquire him.
Strengths
Strong defense
Jared Dudley has been an underrated two-way player for his entire career and despite turning 33 this upcoming season, continues to be a strong defender. Surprisingly, Dudley posted a negative -0.8 net rating on a porous Phoenix Suns outfit that played next to no defense last season. The Suns were dead last in points allowed, conceding a horrible 113.3 points per game.
Since moving to power forward the past three seasons, Dudley has done well to adapt to his new role. At 6’7, 225 pounds, the veteran is undersized at the four spot but hustles and plays tough on the block. Dudley plays with heart and competes every single night.
Reliable 3-point shooting
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Dudley brings a career 39.6 percent 3-PT stroke and would become Oklahoma City’s best shooter from deep. Paul George was OKC’s best perimeter sniper, converting on 40.1 percent of his attempts but has only broken 40 percent twice in his eight year career. As the roster stands, the Thunder have a glaring need for 3-PT marksmanship.
Oklahoma City averaged 30.2 attempts per game (11th), but only converted on 35.5 percent (23rd) of those attempts. Dudley shot his worst 3-PT percentage since his rookie season (36.3 percent) last year but was effective in catch and shoot situations, converting at a 37.7 percent clip. With Russell Westbrook, PG13 and Dennis Schroder expected to be the primary ball handlers, Dudley’s ability to hit in spot-up situations will keep defenses on tilt.
Locker room voice
After 11 years in the league, Dudley possesses a wealth of knowledge he willing shares with young guys new to the NBA. Prior to his trade to the Brooklyn Nets, Dudley spent two years mentoring Phoenix Suns young prospects.
Young guys love veterans who look out for them. Check out Dudley causing trouble in Phoenix’s game against Utah.
In a podcast (link here) with ESPN’s Adrian Wojnarowski, Dudley shares valuable insight into the importance of locker room leadership.
With Oklahoma City great Nick Collison retiring last year, the Thunder need another respected locker room voice to help lead the team. Raymond Felton, Westbrook and Steven Adams are the designated veteran voices expected to guide the team. Adding Dudley to the mix strengthens team chemistry.
Weaknesses
Rebounding and athleticism
Not at any point in his career has Dudley been a decent rebounder. While his 6’7 wingspan doesn’t help his cause (relative to his 6’7 height), an average of 3.2 rebounds per game over 11 seasons is terrible. Dudley hustles and plays hard but his anticipation for rebounds is severely lacking.
This ties into his lack of athletic ability. Dudley has below average athleticism and has never been in terrific shape. For entertainment purposes, here is rare footage of Dudley dunking the ball. This happened eight years ago and hasn’t happened since.
The veteran’s body is similar to the Michelin Man, a soft, cloudy body-type lacking definition. While Dudley is a competitor on-court, his commitment to diet and lifestyle remains questionable.
Scoring off the bounce
Dudley is primarily a catch and shoot player who struggles to create his own offense this late in his career. While he shot an impressive 68.2 percent within 10 feet of the rim, he shot a terrible 14.3 percent on pull-up jumpers. 83 percent of Dudley’s shots came off no dribbles and converted at a 41.2 percent rate.
Coming into the league, Dudley was known for his lack of ‘hops’ and an inability to beat defenders off the dribble. Entering his 12th season, this is unlikely to change.
Contract and Trade Scenario
2018-19 – $9,530,000
2019-20 – UFA
Dudley is on an expiring deal and enters Unrestricted Free Agency next season. His $9.5 million contract is a bit steep considering what he brings to the table but a trade is certainly possible. Depending on how much Brooklyn treasures his locker room voice, the OKC Thunder could send Alex Abrines and Kyle Singler to the Nets for Dudley.
— Thunder Moneyball (@geola388) August 2, 2018
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Abrines is a 25 year-old shooting guard and is a legitimate sniper from deep. Singler is nothing more than a veteran presence who offers little on-court. However, he could take-over Dudley’s role as a mentor. Both deals are expiring and doesn’t inhibit Brooklyn’s desire to chase free agents in 2019.
For Oklahoma City, Dudley fills a back-up power forward role behind Patrick Patterson and provides another stretch-four option. The Thunder also save close to $7 million dollars in salary and luxury tax payments.
Final Thought
Dudley would be an excellent addition should Oklahoma City trade for him. Not only does he add a veteran voice to a group full of young players, he offers a legitimate spot-up 3-PT threat and fills the back-up power forward role.
Sending Abrines to Brooklyn hurts Oklahoma City’s shooting at shooting guard but offloading his defensive deficiencies is a win since the Spaniard struggles against elite offenses. Moving Singler after three years of disappointment is another victory Thunder fans have been clamoring for years to happen.