When the Milwaukee Bucks sent Carlos Delfino, Miroslav Raduljica and a 2015 second-round pick to the Los Angeles Clippers for Jared Dudley and a 2017 protected first-rounder, most fans understood the reasons why. Both Delfino and Raduljica weren’t going to have a place in the rebuilt Bucks so trading them away and being able to come away with a first-round pick out of the deal was seen as a great move.
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The only perceived downside was that the Bucks would be saddled with the 29-year-old Dudley and the remaining $8.5 million left on his contract. But for a first-round pick in 2017, it seemed more than worth it. The Bucks could always just release Dudley and be done with him, much the same way the Clippers eventually did with Delfino and Raduljic. (As reported by the
)
And if the Bucks did indeed part ways with Dudley, it wouldn’t be a surprising move. After establishing himself as a solid NBA player with the Phoenix Suns, Dudley saw all his numbers dip when he was traded to the Clippers in July 2013, where he averaged 6.9 points, 1.4 assists and 2.2 rebounds in his sole season with the team.
Even worse, his 3-point percentage fell to 36.0 percent, his lowest average since his rookie season.
Most of the blame for his lower production can be attributed to his developing tendonitis in his right knee last August and patella tendonitis in his left knee during the season. Despite that, he continued to play due to the injuries the rest of the team was experiencing and Dudley knew it would affect his numbers, telling Andrew Gruman of FOX Sports Wisconsin
"“That’s something I told him (Clippers coach Doc Rivers) I could do; I just wouldn’t be 100 percent. I tried to fight through it, and obviously my production wasn’t as good. I think what I did was give him a body to be able to hold the minutes down until those guys got back. For me personally, I might have suffered. But from the team standpoint we were able to get that three spot we needed to have. When you look back, would I have done it different? Maybe. But that was just me trying to give my body for a new team and a new coach.”"
So now a healthy Dudley is joining a new team in the midst of a massive rebuild. Not the ideal situation for a player of Dudley’s age to be going into. But it seems, much like Jerryd Bayless, he knows that his role on this Bucks’ roster is going to be that of elder statesman and veteran voice on a very young team.
Dudley has played with some of the greats, including Steve Nash, so he knows how the NBA elite train and compose themselves. When asked about this, he told Andrew Gruman
"“It wasn’t really what they did on the court, obviously they were great players, it was what they did off the court, in the weight room, how they would conduct themselves when we would lose games, how you win games. It was just being a professional. I think that’s the biggest thing you can teach young guys is that there’s a way to train and a way to work out. There’s a way to carry yourself.”"
In addition, there is something else Dudley can bring to the Bucks, and that’s a valid 3-point threat. Despite his lackluster numbers last season, Dudley has proven he can make shots from beyond the arc, shooting as high as 45.8 percent during his seven-year career. While defenses try to deal with Jabari Parker and Giannis Antetokounmpo, there is no reason he shouldn’t get plenty of opportunities to get his stroke back and be a contributor to this team.
Will Dudley remain with the Bucks once his contract is up? That’s tough to say. But there is no question the roster will still need some type of veteran leadership at that point. If Dudley can prove himself and become a invaluable part of this franchise, there is no reason it couldn’t be him.