It is becoming increasingly apparent that Jared Dudley got somewhat of a raw deal from the Los Angeles Lakers.
Veteran NBA writer Marc Stein wrote in his newsletter on Friday that the Lakers failed to offer Dudley a coaching role once they made clear that they were not saving a roster spot for him. Stein does add though that a coaching position likely would not have been enough to keep Dudley in Los Angeles. That is because the Dallas Mavericks, where Dudley ended up leaving for, promised to make him a top assistant on head coach Jason Kidd’s staff.
Dudley had become a beloved veteran teammate during the LeBron James-Anthony Davis era in Los Angeles. While Dudley’s actual time on the court was few and far between, he was extremely well-liked in their locker room and was part of the Lakers’ 2020 championship team.
Even if a coaching position might not have been enough to retain Dudley, the fact remains that the Lakers did not even offer him one. Both Dudley and his star teammates wanted to keep their partnership going. Lakers management clearly had another plans however.
