FanPost

The Case for a Jared Dudley Trade (w/ poll)

The Portland Trail Blazers are in "win now" mode. While the team is off to a great start, they can definitely improve on the wings. Getting CJ McCollum back may provide a boost to the squad; but Nic Batum is clearly hurting, and his shot is off. Can the Blazers afford to wait this slump out, as Batum continues to wet the bed night after night?

Maybe Nic needs knee surgery. Maybe he needs a protracted period of rest and rehabilitation. At the very least, maybe what Nic (and the team) needs a reduction in his minutes. Batum spent most of the summer anchoring his national team. He did so after a) running more than any other player in the NBA during the regular season and b) competing through two tough playoff series. The man deserves a break.

Allen Crabbe was decent when spelling Batum in the starting lineup, and has been okay as a rotational player ever since; but is "decent" or "okay" at small forward good enough to win the Western Conference? Could we trust this young man to handle his business against Kevin Durant, Kawhai Leonard, Chandler Parsons, Trevor Ariza, etcetera come playoff time? And if Batum is unavailable for a few weeks, who do we have behind Allen Crabbe? Will Barton, Dorrell Wright and Victor Claver, that's who. Ugh.

Jared Dudley is a 6'7" twenty-nine year-old SG/SF. He has shot 39% behind the arc over his 8-year career. Dudley has been called the "Junk Yard Dog" for his scrappy defense. He played with Robin Lopez in Phoenix for years. The veteran wing makes about $4 million a year, and has an Early Termination Option in his contract this summer.

Dudley could earn himself a very sweet deal in this summer's free agent market with a return to form. He would get great looks in Portland's offense, and the team could use his BBIQ and tenacity on the defensive end. Dudley should be able to capably run the pick-and-roll with Lopez from day one. Backing up both Matthews and Batum, Dudley could shine in a 6th man role for the Blazers. He could also start at small forward, while Coach Stotts tries Batum out as a Manu-Ginobili-type commander of the second unit.

Portland has several players they could offer to Milwaukie, straight up, for Jared Dudley. Please vote in the poll, and share your thoughts in the comments section.