Players of Jared Dudley's caliber normally sit out the first few days of free agency, waiting for the league's marquee players to make decisions that inevitably affect their own. That proved the case on Sunday, as a dizzying night of package deals, surprise signings, and shocking sign-and-trades left the open market absent any superstars with the exception of Kawhi Leonard. As a result, it's time for Dudley and other role players to begin making moves.
Where might he end up? According to Chris Mannix of Sports Illustrated, Dudley met with the Detroit Pistons on Sunday night.
At 33, several years removed from his prime, most assumed Dudley would play little more than the role of veteran mentor for a young Brooklyn Nets team last season. Instead, he emerged as a cog off the bench when healthy, affording coach Kenny Atkinson some much-needed lineup flexibility and overall reliability his younger counterparts on the team couldn’t duplicate. He was especially effective in the postseason, toggling between defensive assignments of Ben Simmons and Joel Embiid while stretching the floor on the other end.
Detroit seems an odd fit for Dudley given its pecking order in the Eastern Conference. He should have multiple opportunities for the minimum, or perhaps slightly more, with championship contenders like the Los Angeles Lakers and new-look Golden State Warriors if he's content waiting for teams of that ilk to fill out their cores. The Nets factor in here, too, especially after adding Kevin Durant and Kyrie Irving.
Dudley averaged 4.9 points, 2.6 rebounds, and 1.4 assists per game last season.
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