This is the third profile in a 16-part series running Wednesdays and Fridays profiling each Milwaukee Bucks player leading up to the start of the NBA season.
Jared Dudley knew if he made it through August, he was likely safe to assume he wasn't going anywhere. But deep down inside, Dudley was fairly certain his time with the Los Angeles Clippers was over. And he was right, dealt to the Bucks in a late August trade.
After an injury-plagued season, Dudley is ready to prove he can still contribute. He has a fresh start to do so with the Milwaukee Bucks, a team looking to the 29-year-old to make an impact in the locker room and on the court.
2013-14 stats: 6.9 PPG, 2.2 RPG, 1.4 APG, 43.8 FG %, 36.0 3-point FG %, 65.5 FT % over 23.4 MPG in 74 games with the Los Angeles Clippers
2014-15 salary: $4,250,000
Last year: Following five productive seasons with the Phoenix Suns, Dudley was traded to the Clippers in a three-team trade in July 2013. Eric Bledsoe was the key piece going to the Suns, while the Bucks were involved in the deal as it was a sign-and-trade for J.J. Redick to go to the Clippers.
Dudley started the first 42 games of the 2013-14 season, averaging 8.9 points per game when he was in the starting lineup. He lost his starting job to Matt Barnes in January and his production dipped right along with his playing time.
At his introductory meeting with the Milwaukee media, Dudley revealed that he approached Doc Rivers in November or December to tell the Clippers coach that he couldn't play because of lingering injuries in both knees. Because of how beat up the Clippers were at the time, Rivers asked Dudley if he could fight through it, and he did.
Dudley told Rivers he wasn't going to be at 100 percent but played anyway until reinforcements came. His role lessened as the season wore on with the health of his knees having a lot to do with that.
Overall, 2013-14 was the worst statistical year for Dudley since he established himself as a contributor with Phoenix in 2009-10. He shot a career-worst 43.8 percent from the field and hit just 36.0 percent of his 3-point shots, his lowest percentage from beyond the arc since his rookie season.
Once considered a piece to the Clippers' championship puzzle, Dudley became expendable in the offseason when Los Angeles was looking to clear cap space.
This year: Dudley and the Bucks are hoping the dip in production and shooting can be blamed to the tendonitis he was suffering from in both knees.
The Clippers were looking to move Dudley in order to clear his contract from the books, as he's owed $4.25 million in 2014-15 and has a player option for the same figure in 2015-16. Milwaukee received a 2017 first-round pick in the deal for taking on the difference between the salaries of Dudley and Carlos Delfino, roughly $1.25 million.
While the Bucks didn't give up much and also received a future asset in the trade, they will look to Dudley to play a role on the team this season. He expressed interest in becoming one of the veteran leaders in the locker room, as he will be the second-oldest player on the roster at the start of training camp.
Dudley can also help on the floor, as well. If he's healthy and can return to his usual sharpshooting form, Dudley can help spread the floor with his ability to knock down an open 3-point shot.
Where coach Jason Kidd finds minutes for Dudley will be something to watch, as the Bucks have Giannis Antetokounmpo and Khris Middleton at the small forward position. Antetokounmpo can play multiple positions, which could allow Kidd to mix and match a bit more to find lineups he likes.
Dudley could be a prime candidate to be traded come the deadline, as he could be valuable to a contending team if he proves he's healthy and returns to form as an outside-shooting threat.
Quotable: "If it's starting, coming off the bench, whatever I can do to help the team, I'm willing to do. I'm excited for that . . . It's a new start and I'll be ready to go in training camp." -- Dudley
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