The Brooklyn Nets have acquired veteran forward Jared Dudley in a trade with the Phoenix Suns. While some fans expected a buyout, he’ll remain with the team for the 2017-2018 season.
In yet another buyout trade the Brooklyn Nets sent Darrell Arthur (who they previously acquired from the Nuggets) to the Phoenix Suns in exchange for Jared Dudley and a future second-round pick.
Adrian Wojnarowski of ESPN was first with the report.
Brooklyn agreed to trade w/ Phoenix to acquire Jared Dudley and 2021 second-round pick for Darrell Arthur, league sources tell ESPN. Arthur ($7.4M) headed for buyout; Dudley ($9.5M) will have that conversation with Nets. Suns save some salary, Nets get a pick protected to No. 35.
— Adrian Wojnarowski (@wojespn) July 20, 2018
It’s a slight savings day for Phoenix, who will buy out Arthur. The same fate was originally expected for Dudley in Brooklyn, but it appears the forward is here to stay.
Scott Bordrow of AZ Central reported that the forward is planning on suiting up for the Brooklyn Nets:
Just got off the phone with Jared Dudley. He said Nets have mentioned a buyout but right now he feels like he's going to play for Brooklyn. Said he's not a fan of buyouts
— scott bordow (@sbordow) July 20, 2018
Then Dudley confirmed his jersey number on his Twitter page:
6! 3 is retired ???? https://t.co/mSIiFxU9IK
— Jared Dudley (@JaredDudley619) July 21, 2018
A 12-year veteran, Dudley and the Nets partnership makes a lot of sense. Brooklyn entered the 2018 summer with a couple needs on their to-do list. Among them: depth in the front court.
Since the summer began, general manager Sean Marks has acquired Ed Davis in free agency, and Kenneth Faried via trade.
Now, Brooklyn has traded for Dudley.
He played 48 games with the Suns last season and averaged 3.2 points and 2 rebounds per game. A career 40 percent shooter from deep, Dudley’s an appropriate addition as a stretch four.
He’ll fall behind starter Rondae Hollis-Jefferson and sit just ahead of second-round draft pick Rodions Kurucs in rotation. In a separate interview interview with Scott Bordrow, Dudley remained optimistic of the opportunity that awaits him in Brooklyn:
“I’m excited about going out and showing I can still play,” said Dudley, adding that he’s lost at least 10 pounds this offseason. “I’m looking to bounce back. People will see I’m the healthiest and in the best shape I’ve been in for years.”
And he was even frank about the lack of opportunity that was there for him in Phoenix:
“I still have some basketball years left in me. That’s why this isn’t hard for me. I love Phoenix, I love Devin Booker and Robert Sarver and what the organization did for me but there was zero chance I was going to get to play. I was going to get 65 to 70 DNPs.”
His optimism bodes well for the Nets, who will be looking for the same mentor that’s served Phoenix the last two seasons. Through 12 years in the NBA, Dudley’s played 29 career postseason games with three different teams.
He’ll be yet another veteran voice in an ever-developing and young locker room in Brooklyn.
With playoffs as the team’s ultimate goal, Dudley’s experience and shooting ability will prove favorable come April.
Brooklyn confirmed the trade with Phoenix, but there is no word from the team just yet on Dudley’s future.
While he could very well be bought out of his $9.5 million owed, his leadership in the locker room will prove the better path for both parties.
Sean Marks has executed yet another trade in which he earned a future draft pick, and added locker room insight to help lead Brooklyn to the playoffs.
