Jared Dudley’s Tenure With Lakers Likely Over

The Los Angeles Lakers are investigating their options to fill out their roster but veteran forward Jared Dudley does not appear to be in the team’s plans.

The Lakers worked out Isaiah Thomas, Darren Collison and Mike James on Tuesday. Chris Haynes of Yahoo Sports reported that the Lakers are looking to sign two more players and want to leave a roster spot open for flexibility. That would give the Lakers a chance to sign a player who is bought out without having to make a roster move.

Each team can carry a maximum of 15 players and two two-way players. The Lakers currently have 12 players inked to guaranteed contracts.Haynes added that a third point guard and a wing are the priorities for the Lakers as they look to fill out their roster. Dudley does not fit that description.

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Dudley Felt He’d Be Back With Lakers

Dudley said during his exit interview on June 4 that he felt 1000% that he’d be back with the Lakers.

“There were no problems these last few years since I’ve been in the locker room. No beef, not any problems, just good chemistry. When we won the chip it was phenomenal chemistry,” Dudley said. “That’s part of my job to make sure that happens. And if it doesn’t happen, then it means I did a poor job.”

He played just 6.8 minutes last season and is coming off an MCL tear that limited him to just 12 regular-season games. He returned for the postseason, but played just five total minutes in the Lakers’ first-round series against the Suns.

Dudley, 36, said the injury changed him for the better.

“The MCL (tear and rehab) was the best thing for my career,” Dudley said. “Which sounds crazy, but it helped me take a look at my nutrition, and how I rehab, and my dedication in the weight room. I lost 20 pounds, my knee feels better, and while you guys might laugh, I’m out here dunking more than I ever have. So in the sense of that, it’s about your mentality of how you want to attack it.”

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Dudley Has Been Core Leader For Lakers

While Dudley did not show up big in the box score every night, his veteran leadership was something that could not be understated over the last two seasons. Dudley embraced that role wholeheartedly.

“From a leadership standpoint it really happens more in practice. It happens at minicamp. When you’re at movies, dinners. And so, it’s more trying to get to know you as a person, as a friend, and then when it comes to the basketball and they respect you, and they understand where you’re coming from as a person, they can kind of hear your advice a little better,” Dudley told NBA.com while explaining his role on the Lakers in 2020.

“When you’re on a veteran team, it’s having professionalism, and also just doing your job. When you do your job on the court, that gives you more of a trust off the court.

He was also part of the now-infamous meeting between LeBron James, Anthony Davis and Russell Westbrook that led to the blockbuster deal and was also caught recruiting Dwight Howard on social media. If it is the end of the road for Dudley as a player with the Lakers, perhaps they’d be interested in bringing him on in another role.

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