Los Angeles Lakers forward Jared Dudley is hoping to stay involved with the game of basketball even after retirement.
Dudley said during an appearance on Danny Green's Inside The Green Room podcast he intends to play one more year in the NBA. His current contract expires at the end of the season.
The veteran then plans to get into coaching, though he also expressed an interest in management:
“It’s coach or GM, that’s what it is,” Dudley said, via Christian Rivas of SB Nation. “I’m leaning towards coaching just because if you get fired, you can be an assistant. I could go into TV. General manager is a little different. I would prefer to be able to control the team like a general manager, but it’s different because once you get fired from being a GM, can you be an assistant GM? It’s tough, man, and you’ve got to work your way up, just like coaching.”
Coaching seems like a good fit for Dudley, who might as well be an extension of the Lakers' current staff.
The 35-year-old has played sparingly during his current tenure with LA. Dudley played in 45 games last season, averaging 8.1 minutes per contest. He has had even fewer opportunities this season, appearing in just six games and playing 22 total minutes.
Still, Lakers players have praised Dudley for his steadying presence and “whatever it takes” attitude, including LeBron James.
LeBron on the impact of vets at end of the bench that can still play: “ @JaredDudley619 is one of those guys, no matter what the team needs, literally whatever the team needs, on or off the floor, he's ready for whatever. That's a diamond in the rough for a championship team."
— Mike Trudell (@LakersReporter) January 9, 2021
It remains to be seen whether the Lakers bring Dudley back on something like a veteran's minimum next season. Regardless, coaching appears to be looming in the near future.
Dudley hopes to make the switch from the end of the bench to the first seat on the bench in due time.
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