Phoenix Suns Agree To 3-Year, $30 Million Deal With Jared Dudley

In a happier move to bring a fan favorite home, the Phoenix Suns agreed to a three-year deal with stretch-4 Jared Dudley.

For the last three years, the Phoenix Suns have teetered between full-scale rebuild and startling success, regression to the mean and tempered expectations, failed free agency power plays and acceptance of a rapidly developing youth movement.

In the latest phase of Phoenix’s long road back to prominence, it was all too apparent in general manager Ryan McDonough’s successful 2016 NBA Draft. Now the Suns’ first move of free agency confirms it: Phoenix is embracing a long-term rebuild to get back into the spotlight.

As first reported by John Gambadoro of Arizona Sports, the Suns have agreed to sign former fan favorite Jared Dudley to a three-year, $30 million deal, bringing the stretch-4 back to the Valley where he spent the best years of his career from 2008-13.

According to The Arizona Republic’s Paul Coro, the three-year deal is fully guaranteed. Earlier Friday, the Suns lost unrestricted free agent Mirza Teletovic to an identical three-year, $30 million agreement with the Milwaukee Bucks.

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In four and a half seasons and 356 games with the Suns, Dudley averaged 9.8 points and 3.6 rebounds per game while shooting 47.4 percent from the field and 41.2 percent from three-point range. In his best season in 2011-12, his first as a regular starter in the NBA, Dudley put up 12.7 points and 4.6 rebounds per game on .485/.383/.726 shooting splits.

During his time in Phoenix, Dudley was revered among the fan base for his gritty defense, three-point shooting, positional versatility, unyielding hustle and competitive fire. Essentially, he was P.J. Tucker before there was a P.J. Tucker.

Dudley was traded to the Los Angeles Clippers in a three-team deal that brought Eric Bledsoe to Phoenix in the summer of 2013. He spent one season with the Clips, the following year with the Milwaukee Bucks, and then joined the Washington Wizards last season, spending a large portion of the year playing the stretch-4 position.

Though he hasn’t averaged double-digit scoring numbers since his last season in Phoenix (2012-13), Dudley has only strengthened his reputation as a valuable 3-and-D wing, a versatile defender who can guard multiple positions and a small-ball stretch-4.

Dudley brings all these assets back to the Valley in his return, and last season in D.C., Dudley posted the league’s seventh highest three-point percentage at 42.0 percent.

On a team featuring two 18-year-old rookies at power forward, Dudley and Tucker will give the Suns two other options at the 4, lessening the burden on Phoenix’s new arrivals.

Speaking of Dragan Bender and Marquese Chriss, Dudley’s greatest asset to the Suns will come from the other reputation he’s built for himself over the years by a positive locker room influence with veteran experience.

As one of the truly good guys in this league, Dudley’s knowledge of the game and willingness to help his younger teammates will be intrinsic to the Suns’ efforts to rebuild around Bender, Chriss, Devin Booker, Alex Len, T.J. Warren, Archie Goodwin and Tyler Ulis.

At $30 million over the next three years, the Suns didn’t have to commit too much long-term money to a mentor (you know, kind of the way they did with Tyson Chandler). In fact, at only $10 million a year, Dudley was one of the best bargain signings in the first 24 hours of free agency in 2016.

While $10 million seems like a lot to commit to a soon-to-be 31-year-old, Dudley’s contract will only take up 10.6 percent of this year’s massive $94 million salary cap — the equivalent of a $7.4 million contract under last year’s $70 million salary cap.

Two years from now, when the salary cap jumps again to a projected $110 million, Dudley’s $10 million salary will be equivalent to a $6.4 million deal under last year’s cap.

That’s terrific value for a player who can spread the floor, set an example with his work ethic, and teach the youngsters about being stretch-4s (and professionals in general).

From here, the Suns should be looking at bargain bin gems (perhaps making an offer to restricted free agents in Portland like Allen Crabbe or Maurice Harkless?) or other proven veterans and former fan favorites (anyone up for the return of Amar’e Stoudemire or Leandro Barbosa?).

With Tucker on the last year of his contract, there’s also a chance that Dudley’s arrival makes Tucker expendable in the near future.

There will be plenty of contenders sniffing out useful deals for a productive 3-and-D player as next year’s trade deadline approaches, and McDonough could potentially add to his treasure trove of assets by dealing Tucker for young players or draft picks, while also granting P.J. the chance to finally contribute to a playoff run.

Dudley is no longer the player he once was, and this move is probably pretty underwhelming for those hoping the Suns would somehow turn their fortunes around in free agency and return to the playoffs. But the Phoenix Suns are better off committing to their promising young players rather than continually chasing the No. 8 seed.

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Jared Dudley’s arrival makes Phoenix a better team, but more importantly, it brings home a fan favorite who will only cement his legacy with the franchise by helping shepherd in the next era of Suns basketball.