Jared Dudley Warns Lakers of Making Big Mistake by Choosing Young Players Over Veterans

The Los Angeles Lakers let Jared Dudley slip away, and that has fans very confused. Dudley’s presence on the bench and locker room was more than enough to compensate for the lack of contribution on the court. Once Dudley hit the free-agency market, his future in LA was already up in the air, but Lakers did not show any enthusiasm in getting their veteran back and Dudley thinks they are making a mistake.

Jared Dudley gave a warning to Lakers organization

After spending two seasons with the purple and gold, and 14 in the NBA, Jared will retire as he was offered to be the assistant coach for the Dallas Mavericks. He has and always will be one of the favorite members of the Lakers franchise, whether it’s for fans or his teammates. In fact, this was evident when LeBron James reacted to his retirement on Twitter, clearly upset that they won’t be playing together anymore.

Excuse my language but still one hurt!! For many reasons that you wouldn’t understand.

— LeBron James (@KingJames) August 24, 2021

When the Los Angeles Lakers won their 17th NBA championship in the 2019-20 NBA season, Jared was instrumental in his own way. Maybe not statistically, but he helped establish chemistry. And without chemistry, all that they achieved would have been impossible. However, his departure could change the atmosphere of the roster but hopefully won’t deteriorate it too much.

Dudley seems to think that the Lakers have more to worry about. As per reports, Dudley told Rob Pelinka and Kurt Rambis that not re-signing him would be a big mistake. He stated, “I talked to Rob and Kurt. I thanked them. But I told them, you’re valuing youth more than a locker room presence guy. I said, ‘I respect you for doing that, but I think you’re wrong.’”

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Why did the franchise let him go?

Oct 11, 2020; Lake Buena Vista, Florida, USA; Los Angeles Lakers forward LeBron James (23) hugs forward Jared Dudley (10) after win over the Miami Heat after game six of the 2020 NBA Finals at AdventHealth Arena. The Los Angeles Lakers won 106-93 to win the series. Mandatory Credit: Kim Klement-USA TODAY Sports

The Lakers were one of the busiest teams this offseason. Pulling off a blockbuster trade that got them Russell Westbrook wouldn’t have been easy. But for a team determined to win a title by hook or by crook, they let a precious veteran get away. Why?

There were rumors that the Lakers’ heart was set on bringing in another point guard and a wing instead. This automatically removed Jared Dudley from the picture altogether. On one hand, the organization was criticized for hiring too many old players, but Dudley clearly seems to think otherwise. Will letting go of him be a blessing in disguise? Or their worst nightmare? Let’s wait and watch.

READ MORE: Marc Cuban Takes a Sarcastic Dig at Jared Dudley to Welcome Him to Dallas Mavericks

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