Positional Fit
As a small forward, Jared Dudley definitely fits the ticket as a helpful addition to a position that is severely lacking depth on the Jazz roster. Beyond Gordon Hayward, the Jazz did not have much help off their bench at the three-spot.
While Joe Ingles had moments where he would catch fire from deep and Chris Johnson was an above average defender, neither was as reliable on both ends of the court as Dudley would be.
Dudley also expressed not only a willingness, but the expectation that he would come off the bench and be a role player. With the Jazz’s starting lineup very much locked into place (with the exception of the point guard spot), it would be hard to bring a small forward in who was expecting to share minutes with Hayward or take over his starting role.
As a small forward who is accustomed to thriving in a bench role, Dudley would make a nice addition to the Jazz’s second unit without causing any meaningful rotation issues. Given that the Jazz bench finished 25th in the league in points per game (per hoopsstats.com), a boost here is very much needed.
Next: Three-Point Shooting