Indiana Chased a Better Fit for Its Faster Offense
Indiana swapped Damjan Rudez for Chase Budinger as Larry Bird was reworking the roster around a smaller, quicker style. Budinger offered more off-the-dribble athleticism than Rudez and entered camp healthy enough for Paul George to praise what he had shown in offseason workouts. The idea was reasonable: add a veteran wing who could shoot, run and attack closeouts without surrendering a draft asset. The problem was that the role never developed into much. Budinger appeared in 49 games for the Pacers, started twice and averaged 4.4 points in 14.9 minutes.
Budinger Did Not Last the Full Season in Indiana
The Pacers never received the bounce-back season they were hoping for. Budinger shot 41.8 percent from the field and only 29.0 percent from three in Indiana, production that made him expendable as the rotation tightened. The club waived him on March 5, 2016, and Phoenix signed him for the stretch run. Indiana therefore turned one year of Rudez's inexpensive contract into roughly two-thirds of a season of reserve wing minutes. That is useful enough to avoid a failing grade, but not enough to call the gamble a success.
Minnesota's Biggest Win Was Financial
Rudez was not a major on-court upgrade. He played 33 games for Minnesota, averaged 2.3 points in 8.4 minutes and shot 34.0 percent from three before leaving after the season. The value came from the contract exchange. Budinger had exercised a $5 million option for 2015-16, while Rudez was making a little more than $1 million with another low-cost team option. Minnesota reduced its salary commitment by several million dollars while taking back a shooter who could fill a limited bench role. For a young roster centered on Karl-Anthony Towns and Andrew Wiggins, that flexibility was more useful than keeping an expensive reserve wing.
Neither Player Changed a Franchise, but Minnesota Improved Its Position
This was a modest trade, and the grades should stay proportional to the stakes. Indiana's basketball logic was understandable, yet Budinger's 49-game stay ended in a waiver and produced no lasting return. Minnesota received little production from Rudez, but it accomplished the cleaner organizational objective by moving Budinger's larger expiring salary for a far cheaper contract without attaching a pick. That cost reduction is the clearest durable benefit created by the deal. It supports the canonical B for Minnesota and C+ for Indiana even though neither incoming player became an important long-term piece.
Final Verdict
Wolves Win — Minnesota B, Indiana C+. The Pacers acquired Chase Budinger to add a more athletic wing to a faster offense, but he averaged 4.4 points in 49 games and was waived before the season ended. Minnesota received only 33 low-minute games from Damjan Rudez, yet the Timberwolves also moved Budinger's roughly $5 million expiring salary for Rudez's much smaller contract. The on-court exchange was minor on both sides; Minnesota's financial flexibility creates the difference in the final grades.