“I almost signed here two years ago. It was down to Brooklyn and Phoenix. For someone with a high IQ like myself to fit them and help them out, I thought it was a perfect fit.” (Jared Dudley on after Nets practice)
Jared Dudley was recently acquired from the Suns this offseason, and with him comes shooting, defense, IQ, leadership, and a lightly protected second-round pick.
What Jared Dudley Brings to the Court:
Though he may see limited minutes on this newly deep roster, Jared Dudley’s unique skill set gives him an edge that others in his position lack: the three ball.
Dudley has shot 39.6 percent from deep for his career, ranking him 17th-best among all active NBA players, a huge feat for today’s three-point heavy league. His new teammates Joe Harris and Allen Crabbe also round out the top 15 in that category. He will help fill the one true void left from last season in free agency, in a stretch four, a role previously split between Quincy Acy and Dante Cunningham.
Here, a screen for Ulis is set, with a patient roll towards the rim, attracting the eyes of Dieng. As soon as he takes his eyes off Dudley, he slides towards the corner for a wide open trey. In Brooklyn, as the Pick and Roll is used often by D’Angelo, this may be quite effective as Dudley is a highly efficient sniper.
Kenny Atkinson was notorious for playing Acy large minutes last season purely for the threat of the three-pointer he provided, and the spacing is provided to allow interior players like Rondae Hollis-Jefferson and Jarrett Allen to thrive. Dudley can provide that same decoy effect, and with shooting at a hopefully lesser volume than his predecessor, can knock them down at a higher rate as he has done so for many seasons in the past.
The double team comes to guard Devin Booker in the post, which could be substituted for Hollis-Jefferson on the baseline or Russell from the three, the ball gets inside to Munroe as another double comes from Dudley’s defender, the ball is then kicked out immediately to a shooting-ready Jared Dudley, who is now open and makes Toronto pay.
As shown here, lineups involving Dudley and Allen, Faried or Davis should be relatively common when he does get playing time, due to Atkinson preferring to have 4 shooters on the floor whenever possible.
Additionally, Dudley has been active in saying that he loves to use his IQ on the defensive end, adding to the list of’ tough guys brought in this year. Also during Friday’s practice, Dudley was asked about what he can bring to the table.
“I think [I can bring] IQ when it comes to the defensive end, being able to call switches,” he stated. “Everywhere I’ve been, I’ve controlled a lot of defenses, transition defense, putting guys in the right position. I think that’s one thing they lacked when it comes to that defensively with guys being assertive and pointing people in the right direction. I think it’s a great fit for me. I’m looking forward to it.”
What Jared Dudley Brings Off the Court:
Regarding what Jared Dudley can bring off the court, the 11-year veteran is well renowned completely embracing a leadership position, as both a mentor and role model. Kenny Atkinson spoke about the importance of having established and confident veterans on the roster.
“These guys that have been in the league like Jared Dudley, how do they take care of their bodies? What’s their mental approach? It’s just those side conversations they have with younger players. On the court, I saw it today with Jared and Ed. They have a lot of tricks. They’ve survived in this league because of their basketball IQ. That’s a big part of having a long career.”
Kenny speaks highly of him, and his role as the oldest player on the team. The 33-year-old has had good relationships with young players in Phoenix, such as Devin Booker and now Net Alan Williams, as shown here.
My brother @JaredDudley619, thank you for all the knowledge you have passed on to me. True representation on how to be a great Vet in this league. I learned a lot from you just from conversation throughout the past couple years. I wish the best for you and your family movin fwrd!
— Devin Booker (@DevinBook) July 20, 2018
For what it’s worth, Dudley has also quite witty and insightful with reporters, leading to some good moments, for post game talks. His ability to wield words together and his high basketball IQ is shown, as he recently featured on a podcast with Adrian Wojnarowski or Woj, speaking about his tenure around the league.
Dudley may have been acquired for a second round pick as part of a salary move, but don’t be shocked if he benefits this young Nets team greatly, on and off the court.