Jared Dudley left the Los Angeles Lakers after two successful years as a prominent voice in the team’s locker room. The Lakers preferred a different approach this offseason.
NBA writer Marc Stein wrote in his newsletter on Friday that the Lakers failed to offer Dudley a coaching role once they made clear that they were not saving a roster spot for him.
“Word is that the Lakers did not offer Dudley a coaching role to stay once they made it clear that they were not holding a roster spot for him.
“The reality, though, is that a behind-the-bench position likely would have been insufficient to keep him in Los Angeles given that the Mavericks promised to install Dudley alongside former Suns head coach Igor Kokoškov and Sean Sweeney (who will be coaching under Kidd for the third time) as one of Kidd’s top three aides.”
The veteran forward joined the Dallas Mavericks’ coaching staff alongside former Lakers assistant Jason Kidd. Both were part of the Lakers’ team that won the 2020 NBA championship.
