How much longer do you give Bennett?

Mattya · Post #1 » by **Mattya** » Thu Apr 16, 2015 5:21 pm

It is an important offseason for AB. I can't imagine we pick up his option in 2016-17 for 7.3 million, but he really hasn't seen the same amount of court time that some young guys need to mature as players. LaVine showed a ton of growth in the past month or two of the season. Bennett has been injured a lot, had a good stretch, a bad stretch, showed some signs of improvement, but then injuries put him on the bench for almost all of the end of the season. He has some good tools to build off of, but he has a lot to work on as well. Other guys have taken years to show anything in the league. Just this year freaking Hassan Whiteside became Andrew Bynum. Gerald Green became a solid player after spending time overseas and growing up a little. So, what is your take on him. Does he need more time? Are you done with him?

Please keep Adreian Payne's name out of this thread other than a mention as a name on the depth chart. We hear enough garbage debate on those two in every game thread.

Post #2 » by **C.lupus** » Thu Apr 16, 2015 5:30 pm

I'd be shopping him this summer. If he was making $2 M I'd be more forgiving and patient but $6 M is too much to have tied up in a player of that caliber. He'll probably be a decent player at some point but let someone else develop him on their dime.

Merc_Porto · Post #3 » by **Merc_Porto** » Thu Apr 16, 2015 5:30 pm

I think it is inevitable not to mention A.Payne when we are talking about Bennett.
Because they play the same position, and you provaly have to choose one.

And of course there are people that like more of Bennett over Payne and others Payne over Bennett.

I say this. If one of this 2 is to be the 3º PF on the roster, i choose Payne (because he is cheaper)
If we are talking about a backup PF, i choose Bennett.

Post #4 » by **Klomp** » Thu Apr 16, 2015 5:33 pm

"This is a big summer for him. He's going to get a lot of work. He's going to play a lot of games. We'll try to get him into our camp (summer league) for a little bit in July, and then he'll go right to Canada. So basically from July 7 to dang near the middle of September, he's going to be playing competitive basketball. That's going to really help him. This summer is going to determine where he's at. It's going to be a huge summer for him, really make or break." -Flip Saunders

Mattya · Post #5 » by **Mattya** » Thu Apr 16, 2015 5:34 pm

mercgold3 wrote:I think it is inevitable not to mention A.Payne when we are talking about Bennett.
Because they play the same position, and you provaly have to choose one.

And of course there are people that like more of Bennett over Payne and others Payne over Bennett.

I say this. If one of this 2 is to be the 3º PF on the roster, i choose Payne (because he is cheaper)
If we are talking about a backup PF, i choose Bennett.

It's fine to mention him on the depth chart. We don't need another troll off though, big difference.

NBACommissioner · Post #6 » by **NBACommissioner** » Thu Apr 16, 2015 5:40 pm

C.lupus wrote:I'd be shopping him this summer. If he was making $2 M I'd be more forgiving and patient but $6 M is too much to have tied up in a player of that caliber. He'll probably be a decent player at some point but let someone else develop him on their dime.

Why are you so concerned about the money anyways? It's not like the Wolves are going to need it next year. If i'm the Wolves I keep Bennett at least another year but I hope for Bennett's sake he can go somewhere he's more appreciated.

Mattya · Post #7 » by **Mattya** » Thu Apr 16, 2015 5:40 pm

Klomp wrote:"This is a big summer for him. He's going to get a lot of work. He's going to play a lot of games. We'll try to get him into our camp (summer league) for a little bit in July, and then he'll go right to Canada. So basically from July 7 to dang near the middle of September, he's going to be playing competitive basketball. That's going to really help him. This summer is going to determine where he's at. It's going to be a huge summer for him, really make or break." -Flip Saunders

Yea, I wonder how patient they are willing to be with him.

C.lupus wrote:I'd be shopping him this summer. If he was making $2 M I'd be more forgiving and patient but $6 M is too much to have tied up in a player of that caliber. He'll probably be a decent player at some point but let someone else develop him on their dime.

For me, I don't know if I want to move him this summer, unless he isn't showing any improvement. I'm not worried about his contract just yet, since I highly doubt we pick up that option for 2016-17, and I don't think this is the summer we should be going at FAs (unless there is an obvious guy out there who wants to sign with us). I would totally move him in the right deal though.

Post #8 » by **C.lupus** » Thu Apr 16, 2015 5:49 pm

It isn't urgent to slash salaries but it isn't smart to pay someone $6 for $2 worth of production, either. I'm not advocating just dumping him but I would definitely look at packaging him with someone else (Martin?) for an upgrade or an additional asset (draft pick?). The bottom line to me is that he looks like a backup forward and the player who shall not be named is also a backup forward. I'd rather have one backup and one starter.

Post #9 » by **Klomp** » Thu Apr 16, 2015 5:53 pm

C.lupus wrote:The bottom line to me is that he looks like a backup forward and the player who shall not be named is also a backup forward. I'd rather have one backup and one starter.

As I said in the other thread, that's our biggest problem with the position. Right now we have three backups, if Garnett returns.

Feilong · Post #10 » by **Feilong** » Thu Apr 16, 2015 5:54 pm

My patience ended after seeing him 2-3 months in Wolves uniform.
Don't extend his contract, try to shop him as an expiring contract.
If we draft Towns and if CHI thinks next season Mirotic is their 3rd best big guy, i would try Bennett + Dieng -> Gibson (makes sense for both teams in my opinion).

Note30 · Post #11 » by **Note30** » Thu Apr 16, 2015 5:57 pm

Feilong wrote:My patience ended after seeing him 2-3 months in Wolves uniform.
Don't extend his contract, try to shop him as an expiring contract.
If we draft Towns and if CHI thinks next season Mirotic is their 3rd best big guy, i would try Bennett + Dieng -> Gibson (makes sense for both teams in my opinion).

If Flip pulls that off I will never badmouth him ever again.

Merc_Porto · Post #12 » by **Merc_Porto** » Thu Apr 16, 2015 5:57 pm

C.lupus wrote:isn't smart to pay someone $6 for $2 worth of production

I do not agree with this.
Because he produces when he has minutes.

We can say he only worth $2 worth of production because of injuries. And that counts too.

I belive with better players around him, and with consistent minutes, that confidence problem (i think that is the main problem) is solved. I still remember that Bennett of the 1st month.

Post #13 » by **Klomp** » Thu Apr 16, 2015 6:02 pm

mercgold3 wrote:I still remember that Bennett of the 1st month.

He still only averaged 8/4 in the first month, and had to shoot 55% to do so. So basically, you're fine paying 6 mil for Dante Cunningham.

Merc_Porto · Post #14 » by **Merc_Porto** » Thu Apr 16, 2015 6:39 pm

Klomp wrote:
mercgold3 wrote:I still remember that Bennett of the 1st month.

He still only averaged 8/4 in the first month, and had to shoot 55% to do so. So basically, you're fine paying 6 mil for Dante Cunningham.

Come on, you know that isn't true (the part of paying 6 mil for Dante). Im talking about the pre season games and the game vs Chicago and Memphis (We lost the games, but that was at least 2 of 4 best games all season long we had) and he was Bennett that puts us back in those games. He was really amazing.

And after that, Rubio got injured, and the all team fall apart. I´m talking about Martin / Pekovic / T.Young as well . Everybody.

Just take a look the Game threads of those games and see what we all were saying about Bennett.
And again, when he has the oppurtunity to play more than 20 minutes per game he always produces.

Even yersterday he played 22 minutes from the bench, and he got 9 PTS / 9 REB / 2 ASST / 2 STL.
Almost double-double numbers. Now, put him on a team where he is getting the perfect assists from Rubio to make his jump shots, and you´ll see his confidence sky high.

minimus · Post #15 » by **minimus** » Fri Apr 17, 2015 3:21 am

It is funny, but Bennett has same body, same offensive skillset as Taj Gibson. I think that Thibs has been main factor in Gibson development in one of the best defensive PF. It would be very disappointing if we trade Dieng and Bennett for Taj just to see them becoming very solid defenders under right coach.

breatnach · Post #16 » by **breatnach** » Fri Apr 17, 2015 3:50 am

I wouldn't pick up his option, let him become a RFA. If he proves to be worth more than 2-3m per, we can match.

Might as well hold on to him, since we don't need the cap space this year. We don't know how well Bjelica will adjust / Payne will grow / Dieng can adapt / healthy KG can be. Bennett could easily become the starting PF next year (just as much as any of the above)

Wolf_Cry · Post #17 » by **Wolf_Cry** » Fri Apr 17, 2015 4:21 am

If you're talking about a starter, my hope is zero. If you're talking about being a 7-8th guy off the bench, then I have "some" hope. I would not pick up his option and in fact, if I could, would trade him asap for whatever.

Post #18 » by **Klomp** » Fri Apr 17, 2015 4:55 am

breatnach wrote:I wouldn't pick up his option, let him become a RFA.

If you decline his team option, he becomes a UFA.

LordBaldric · Post #19 » by **LordBaldric** » Fri Apr 17, 2015 5:02 am

I'm with Lupus & friends. Trade his ass ASAP.

PZiv · Post #20 » by **PZiv** » Fri Apr 17, 2015 5:09 am

If Bjelica ends this season healthy, trade him. But make sure the trade is worth it.