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Phoenix Suns: 2016 Offseason Grades

By Gerald Bourguet

Jun 23, 2016; New York, NY, USA; Dragan Bender (right) greets NBA commissioner Adam Silver after being selected as the number four overall pick to the Phoenix Suns in the first round of the 2016 NBA Draft at Barclays Center. Mandatory Credit: Brad Penner-USA TODAY Sports
Jun 23, 2016; New York, NY, USA; Dragan Bender (right) greets NBA commissioner Adam Silver after being selected as the number four overall pick to the Phoenix Suns in the first round of the 2016 NBA Draft at Barclays Center. Mandatory Credit: Brad Penner-USA TODAY Sports /
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PHOENIX, AZ – FEBRUARY 19: Jared Dudley #3 of the Phoenix Suns reacts after hitting a three point shot against the Los Angeles Lakers during the NBA game at US Airways Center on February 19, 2012 in Phoenix, Arizona. The Suns defeated the Lakers 102-90. NOTE TO USER: User expressly acknowledges and agrees that, by downloading and or using this photograph, User is consenting to the terms and conditions of the Getty Images License Agreement. (Photo by Christian Petersen/Getty Images) /

The Return Of J-Dudz

With a roster full of young players, two point guards whose 2015-16 seasons were ended by injury and a couple of aging veterans, the Phoenix Suns’ addition of a fan favorite like Jared Dudley would be easy to misconstrue as a PR stunt to sell a few extra tickets.

On paper, signing a 30-year-old stretch-4 to a three-year, $30 million contract is an odd way to go about accomplishing those goals, but make no mistake about it: Jared Dudley and these young Suns are as ideally suited for each other now as they’ve ever been.

"“What I told [the Suns] was there’s no one more perfect for this job,” he said. “You could find a better basketball player at the power forward position, you could even have an All-Star, but you’re still gonna need guys to groom these young guys. “We all were on the same page where my contract is not just for what I do on the floor; it has to do with the locker room, weight room, training room and helping show these guys how to be a pro.”"

As a mentor, terrific teammate and model stretch-4, Dudley will set a great example for Bender and Chriss as they begin their NBA careers. Dudley wasn’t just brought in to babysit, however.

Coming off a season in which he played 81 games for the Wizards and shot 42 percent from three-point range, Dudley will serve a tangible purpose on the court as well.

His presence saves Bender and Chriss from a trial by fire from day one, easing the pressure that might have been laid on two unprepared teenagers who figure to be projects more than immediate contributors.

"“People don’t understand, there was a reason why this franchise at one point, even when I wasn’t even here, was one of the best franchises, with Nash and all of them,” Dudley said. “It has all the ingredients, it’s just you’ve got to draft correct and they’ve got three good picks here. “Now it’s my job and the coaching staff’s to develop them and take this franchise back to what it once was.”"

Grade: A-

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