Phoenix Suns extend Jared Dudley’s contract
After weeks of speculation, the Phoenix Suns made it official, announcing the signing of Jared Dudley to a contract extension, preventing the sharp-shooting forward from becoming a free agent
next summer.
According to Suns president of basketball operations Lon Babby, the 25-year-old forward inked a four-year deal worth $17 million with a player option for the fifth year of the contract. It
will take effect next season, keeping Dudley with the Suns until the 2014-15 season, at the very least.
Babby, who described Dudley as “...a valued member of what makes this franchise special”, announced the development on Monday, 1 November before the 11:59 PM deadline. He added that he had
a hard time deciding whether to make the move or not.
"I feel pleased because he's the kind of player and person that makes this franchise. It was challenging to get it done in this environment, but hard work and good faith prevailed," Babby
said, referring to the uncertainties in next year's collective bargaining agreement, which forced majority of the teams not to offer extensions before the deadline.
"You've got uncertainty about what the rules and CBA will be. It takes a lot of hard work, compromise and good will to get it done. We have great confidence in who he is as a player and as
a person."
The 6ft 7in forward, who was the 22nd pick in the 2007 NBA draft by the Charlotte Bobcats before being traded to the Suns along with Jason Richardson for Raja Bell and Boris Diaw in 2008,
had a breakout year last season. He averaged career bests with 8.2 points, 3.4 rebounds, and 1.5 assists per game.
Dudley, who also played in all the 82 regular-season games of the Suns last year, was the most accurate long-range gunner of Phoenix making 45.8 per cent from beyond-the-arc, which was also
the fourth-best in the entire league.
Dudley’s extension came minutes before the deadline, making him the fifth player from the 2007 draft class to receive an extension after Kevin Durant of the Oklahoma City Thunder, Joakim
Noah of the Chicago Bulls, Al Horford of the Atlanta Hawks, and Mike Conley of the Memphis Grizzlies.
"Jared has worked really hard for this. It was literally five minutes before the deadline,'' said agent Mark Bartelstein.
"Jared is thrilled. I want to thank Phoenix president Lon Babby and owner Robert Sarver for all their hard work in getting it done.''
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