ESPN’s Pelton: Expected Dudley deal one of summer’s best value signings in NBA
Jul 4, 2016, 1:05 PM | Updated: Jul 5, 2016, 7:27 am
(AP Photo/Duane Burleson)
The expected return of Jared Dudley to the Phoenix Suns had high approval ratings across the board from Suns fans and NBA experts alike.
ESPN.com’s Kevin Pelton is one of those experts who gave the Suns praise for the expected signing in his day 2 summary of NBA free agency.
Dudley, who first found his footing in the NBA with the Suns, is headed back on one of the better values of this free-agent season. I’m not sure whether the market just wasn’t there for Dudley, at least on a three-year deal, or he took less money to return to a desirable market.
Either way, Dudley offers veteran leadership while also contributing as a stretch 4. The development of lottery picks Dragan Bender and Marquese Chriss could push Dudley to a smaller role (or perhaps even lead to a trade) down the road, but for now his addition allows Phoenix to bring the rookies along slowly.
The reported three-year, $30 million deal is the same that former Suns power forward Mirza Teletovic is expected to sign with the Milwaukee Bucks.
Entering the 2016 NBA Draft, the Suns did not have the power forward on the roster. Teletovic and Jon Leuer, the two on the roster at the end of the season, were both unrestricted free agents.
On draft night, the Suns selected Bender with their own No. 4 selection and then traded No. 13, No. 28 and the rights to Bogdan Bogdanovic for the draft rights to the No. 8 selection, Chriss.
Now, with Dudley, the Suns have three on the roster, and as Pelton notes, he can be the type of player to slide into a less prominent role when the two 18-year-old power forwards are ready for a bigger load of minutes.
Bender and Chriss make their professional debuts with the Suns at Las Vegas summer league on July 10 against the Portland Trail Blazers.
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