NBA: Celtics May Regret Passing On Veteran Forward Now With Lakers

Jared Dudley may not be among the top names NBA teams would go for unless they want a tough role player manning the forward position. That is the role expected from him with the Los Angeles Lakers, a team oozing with talent particularly on the offensive end.

Looking back to the NBA offseason, Dudley was linked to several teams. And one team that showed interest in him was the Lakers rival, Boston Celtics. The Beantown squad seemed pretty interested in the 34-year-old cager. However, the Celts went a different route and claimed that they had enough wings and wanted to save its remaining roster spot, the Boston Globe reported.

Somehow, that reason raises some questions. One, Dudley is best known as a combo forward and not a wing player. It seems the Celtics went in a different direction in terms of filling up their roster and opted to get a wing player instead of a veteran who can toughen up their frontline. Boston ended up signing swingman Javonte Green to a partially-guaranteed deal, USA Today reported.

It appears the Celtics were focused on making sure they had flexibility and firepower. They added Romeo Langford to beef up its wings, joining the likes of Marcus Smart and Jaylen Brown. And while they loaded up on the wings, could the Celtics have overlooked their frontline depth?

With Al Horford and Marcus Morris moving out and joining other teams, Dudley could have added depth to the Boston frontline. Talented as the roster may be, the Boston Celtics could have trouble next season. They did take in Enes Kanter and do have several centers who can alternate up front. But experience is something coach Brad Stevens may be lacking, a reason why some believe Dudley would have been a good fit.

Finally, it would be best to note that Green could be waived at some point. It is possible that this would have been the same scenario that Dudley would have ended up with. Obviously, that would not sit well with the 22nd overall pick of the 2007 NBA Draft in terms of security.

Either way, Dudley may not be a household NBA name but he is ready to get down and dirty. He is a role player that can be of use to any team. Hence, it won't be surprising if he does become a vital piece of the purple and gold, calling to mind the likes of Robert Horry or even AC Green.