Lakers' Jared Dudley Retires, Accepts Coaching Position With Dallas Mavericks
The Dallas Mavericks coaching staff overhaul continues. They have prioritized making new additions to the coaching staff, creating an out-of-the-box choice for their latest hire, Jared Dudley from the Los Angeles Lakers.
According to Fan Nation, The Athletic's Shams Charania said the 36-year-old veteran, Jared Dudley, has agreed to a contract with the Dallas Mavericks as part of their coaching staff this upcoming season. Dudley would be a "front of the bench assistant" in his new role under new Mavs' head coach Jason Kidd.
Before the addition of Dudley to the Mavericks coaching staff, Dallas had JJ Barea, Igor Kokoskov, Kristi Toliver, Sean Sweeney, Greg St. Jean, God Shammgod, Peter Patton, Darrell Armstrong, and Jeremy Holsopple with roles on the coaching side.
Based on previous reports, it was previously reported by Yahoo's Chris Haynes that the LA Lakers were not planning to bring Dudley back as a player, which would make him a free agent. However, the Dallas Mavericks quickly convinced the 14-year NBA veteran to transition into a coaching career under the guidance of NBA star turned coach Jason Kidd.
The connection between Kidd and Dudley made sense after Kidd served as an assistant with the LA Lakers for the past two seasons, and one of them ended with a ring.
It was also considered a smart move by fans for the Mavericks, as Dudley has been a vocal leader inside the Lakers' locker room and could be seen in games in his LA stint.
His presence on the Dallas Mavericks' coaching staff could give the young team a veteran voice, who just finished playing in the league. Dudley was also expected to serve as a bridge between the players and the coaches for a better team relationship.
The addition of Dudley was just the latest move in what has been an overhaul of the Mavericks coaching staff and front office this summer.
Longtime general manager Donnie Nelson and head coach Rick Carlisle stepped down after another first-round exit in the Western Conference playoffs and some issues in the franchise.
That led the Dallas Mavericks to bring in former Nike executive Nico Harrison as the new head of basketball operations and hire Jason Kidd as the head coach.
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Jared Dudley's Special Message to LeBron, AD, and Lakers
Before his departure in the city of Angels, Jared Dudley sent a special message to LeBron James, Anthony Davis, and the Los Angeles Lakers. The NBA veteran thanked them for helping him win an NBA title before hanging his jersey, Lakers Daily reported.
The Los Angeles Lakers won the NBA title during the 2019-20 season with Dudley on the roster and the dominance shown by 'The King' LeBron James and Anthony Davis, who carried the team to victory.
In his career as a player, Jared Dudley played a total of 904 career games under seven different NBA teams. He also averaged 7.3 points, 3.2 rebounds, and 1.5 assists per game. He shot 46.3 percent from the field and 39.3 percent from beyond the arc in his career.
This article is owned by Latin Post
Written by: Jess Smith
WATCH: Jared Dudley is Going to Join The Dallas Mavericks - From Lakers Inside
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