Dragan Bender News, Discussion and Highlights

[ImNotMcDiSwear]

I mean come the frick on?!? Don’t be a passive wuss! Make some threes and play some defens. If you have a lane, take it. Dude is a perfect fourth option with Ayton and Booker. He doesn’t have to live up to being a true 4th pick. He shouldnt feel that much pressure being the fourth option... last night needs to be every night. Come on Bender!

Looked quite a bit better to me last night. Pretty aggressive driving, ended up going to the line 7 times, had 10 pts, 5 boards and an assist in 17 minutes.

As soon as he came in he looked totally different from the previous game. He is such a head scratcher

There was one possession where he drove and got tripled, but still had an open (if difficult) layup. He chose to pass out. The pass was deflected and the play restarted, so it wasn't a turnover, but he needed to take that shot. If he stays aggressive, he'll get better shots, he'll make shots, and that will improve his game quite a bit.

Maybe he'll see first half minutes in our next game as a result of this improved performance. I hope.

[Jstock12]

He doesn’t have to live up to being a true 4th pick. He shouldnt feel that much pressure being the fourth option... last night needs to be every night. Come on Bender!

It seems like it's a pretty high pick, but given the recent draft history there's really not THAT much to live up to. Role players mostly.

#4 picks lately:

2009 - Tyreke Evans
2010 - Wesley Johnson
2011 - Tristan Thompson
2012 - Dion Waiters
2013 - Cody Zeller
2014 - Aaron Gordon
2015 - Kristaps Porzingis
2016 - Dragan Bender
2017 - Josh Jackson
2018 - Jaren Jackson Jr

[bhawk]

The biggest loser of the Sarver interview was Bender. Gambo basically called Bender a bust and said something like Bender will be gone just like Chriss and Ulis... Sarver didn't disagree or defend Bender AT ALL. Seemed like that Sarver agreed with Gambo's assessment to me...

[lilfishi22]

The biggest loser of the Sarver interview was Bender. Gambo basically called Bender a bust and said something like Bender will be gone just like Chriss and Ulis... Sarver didn't disagree or defend Bender AT ALL. Seemed like that Sarver agreed with Gambo's assessment to me...

He's more bust than not at this point and if there is a time to publicly call a guy a bust, it's now when you can throw the player under the bus along with the GM you just fired.

[bwgood77]

The biggest loser of the Sarver interview was Bender. Gambo basically called Bender a bust and said something like Bender will be gone just like Chriss and Ulis... Sarver didn't disagree or defend Bender AT ALL. Seemed like that Sarver agreed with Gambo's assessment to me...

I hate Gambo doing those interviews. That was super inappropriate for him to say they are all three gone from the draft or will be gone soon. WTF does he know?? GTFO here with that.

Sure he might be but be respectful.

Then he was trying to put words in Sarver's mouth in other parts too.

[Revived]

The biggest loser of the Sarver interview was Bender. Gambo basically called Bender a bust and said something like Bender will be gone just like Chriss and Ulis... Sarver didn't disagree or defend Bender AT ALL. Seemed like that Sarver agreed with Gambo's assessment to me...

I hate Gambo doing those interviews. That was super inappropriate for him to say they are all three gone from the draft or will be gone soon. WTF does he know?? GTFO here with that.

Sure he might be but be respectful.

Then he was trying to put words in Sarver's mouth in other parts too.

Yeah espeically with the Josh Jackson part too when Sarver was saying something like "I think we have great young pieces here in Booker and Ayton" and Gambo opens his mouth with that stupid Boston accent adding "Josh Jackson too!" and Sarver was just like "..uhh yeah Jackson too!"

I wish Gambo would just shut the hell up on the radio interviews and let the guy answer the question first.

[Cutter]

Yeah Gambo always includes Jackson in the Booker, Ayton, Jackson core as the future of the Suns. I would reallllly like to see JJ become core worthy, but he's not there yet.

[bwgood77]

Yeah Gambo always includes Jackson in the Booker, Ayton, Jackson core as the future of the Suns. I would reallllly like to see JJ become core worthy, but he's not there yet.

It's strange. I don't think you should annoint players as big three, or honestly, even big two, until they do something. Same with the BSoTS guys. They ripped Warren for not taking a 3 and wrote a big article on the game and the good and bad things and didn't say anything about Jackson, who was obviously the worst part by anyone watching.

A bunch of people called Sidery out and I guess he got pissed and posted in the comments section and deleted it.

But Jackson does show some good things...blocking some shots...setting up Ayton. Just needs to cut down on his shots, try and get others involved, be a bit more calculated.

[bhawk]

Moving this to the correct thread:

I'm in the Bender Bust camp. He has Bruno-itis and was two-years away from being two-years away when we drafted him. We should have known at the time, but we were wearing Kristaps colored glasses. Can't pay him 6M, imo, unless he somehow turns a corner this year. The kid just doesn't have it... whatever "it" is...

It really sucks, btw. That 2016 draft really set us back. We should have drafted a guard in retrospect. Murray. Buddy. Dunn.

If it is any consolation, we aren't the only team with busts. Muiday, Okafor, Hezonja, WCS, Winslow, Fultz, Exum, Stauskas, etc

[Saberestar]

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[WeekapaugGroove]

I've mentioned this before but if they do decide to decline his 4th year option then they should just cut him. Once you decline that option you're limited to what you could pay him next year if you have a change of heart and keep him. So really no reason to keep him around taking up a roster spot and if you give him minutes you're potentially developing him for someone else. If he suddenly became good in the minutes you're giving him then he just goes to some other team for more money than you can pay him next year.

Edit - I wonder if a team like the Nets would want to take a flyer on Bender in a cheap trade. I could see some organization feel like a change of scenery might do him some good.

[bwgood77]

I've mentioned this before but if they do decide to decline his 4th year option then they should just cut him. Once you decline that option you're limited to what you could pay him next year if you have a change of heart and keep him. So really no reason to keep him around taking up a roster spot and if you give him minutes you're potentially developing him for someone else. If he suddenly became good in the minutes you're giving him then he just goes to some other team for more money than you can pay him next year.

Edit - I wonder if a team like the Nets would want to take a flyer on Bender in a cheap trade. I could see some organization feel like a change of scenery might do him some good.

I don't think I'd decline his option given that he is just starting to work with Igor, unless of course Igor wants nothing to do with him. But yeah, it's not worth working with him if you are declining...I guess you'd just want to do it if you felt he had zero hope and wanted to use him as potential trade filler since he'd be expiring. A team might rather trade for him if he the option is picked up for next year too. Of course the other reason is for more cap space next year but we already have between like $23-$35 I believe (the larger number if we waive/stretch Anderson)....so we still have a max slot anyway.

[WeekapaugGroove]

I've mentioned this before but if they do decide to decline his 4th year option then they should just cut him. Once you decline that option you're limited to what you could pay him next year if you have a change of heart and keep him. So really no reason to keep him around taking up a roster spot and if you give him minutes you're potentially developing him for someone else. If he suddenly became good in the minutes you're giving him then he just goes to some other team for more money than you can pay him next year.

Edit - I wonder if a team like the Nets would want to take a flyer on Bender in a cheap trade. I could see some organization feel like a change of scenery might do him some good.

I don't think I'd decline his option given that he is just starting to work with Igor, unless of course Igor wants nothing to do with him. But yeah, it's not worth working with him if you are declining...I guess you'd just want to do it if you felt he had zero hope and wanted to use him as potential trade filler since he'd be expiring. A team might rather trade for him if he the option is picked up for next year too. Of course the other reason is for more cap space next year but we already have between like $23-$35 I believe (the larger number if we waive/stretch Anderson)....so we still have a max slot anyway.

I was firmly in the pick up his option give it two more years then decide his future when you have his RFA rights in 2020 camp this summer. But man his play in summer league and preseason gives me pause and while I'd still be fine if they pick up his option I also wouldn't be upset if they just threw in the towel on him either.

[TeamTragic]

I find it insane that Bender has regressed. This guy is clearly just collecting a check.

[bwgood77]

I've mentioned this before but if they do decide to decline his 4th year option then they should just cut him. Once you decline that option you're limited to what you could pay him next year if you have a change of heart and keep him. So really no reason to keep him around taking up a roster spot and if you give him minutes you're potentially developing him for someone else. If he suddenly became good in the minutes you're giving him then he just goes to some other team for more money than you can pay him next year.

Edit - I wonder if a team like the Nets would want to take a flyer on Bender in a cheap trade. I could see some organization feel like a change of scenery might do him some good.

I don't think I'd decline his option given that he is just starting to work with Igor, unless of course Igor wants nothing to do with him. But yeah, it's not worth working with him if you are declining...I guess you'd just want to do it if you felt he had zero hope and wanted to use him as potential trade filler since he'd be expiring. A team might rather trade for him if he the option is picked up for next year too. Of course the other reason is for more cap space next year but we already have between like $23-$35 I believe (the larger number if we waive/stretch Anderson)....so we still have a max slot anyway.

I was firmly in the pick up his option give it two more years then decide his future when you have his RFA rights in 2020 camp this summer. But man his play in summer league and preseason gives me pause and while I'd still be fine if they pick up his option I also wouldn't be upset if they just threw in the towel on him either.

Yeah, but I think everyone (outside of Ayton, who mostly just finishes and rebounds anyway) is having big problems picking up Kokoskov's offense. Who do you think has looked good or better than they did down the stretch last season?

[bigfoot]

I don't think I'd decline his option given that he is just starting to work with Igor, unless of course Igor wants nothing to do with him. But yeah, it's not worth working with him if you are declining...I guess you'd just want to do it if you felt he had zero hope and wanted to use him as potential trade filler since he'd be expiring. A team might rather trade for him if he the option is picked up for next year too. Of course the other reason is for more cap space next year but we already have between like $23-$35 I believe (the larger number if we waive/stretch Anderson)....so we still have a max slot anyway.

I was firmly in the pick up his option give it two more years then decide his future when you have his RFA rights in 2020 camp this summer. But man his play in summer league and preseason gives me pause and while I'd still be fine if they pick up his option I also wouldn't be upset if they just threw in the towel on him either.

Yeah, but I think everyone (outside of Ayton, who mostly just finishes and rebounds anyway) is having big problems picking up Kokoskov's offense. Who do you think has looked good or better than they did down the stretch last season?

We know the fundamental problem with this team is the lack of a legitimate playmaker. Booker will be our 1st option playmaker. He Ayton will be a formidable duo when surrounded by three point shooters (Ariza, Anderson, plus one more). Our problem is we don't have a backup playmaker worth a crap. Jackson, Shaq, and Canaan aren't getting it done. Personally Ariza has a done a pretty good job in the preseason with his playmaking so he Booker might be the offensive initiators until we can establish a legitimate point guard threat.

So how does this impact Bender. Bender needs to narrow his focus to a 3-D threat. He doesn't need to be a playmaker yet. Just set screens, pop for three, setup in the corner, play good-to-great team defense, and build confidence as a backup to Anderson and Ayton. So basically, we need to take the options on Bender and for that matter JJ for next season.

[WeekapaugGroove]

One of my biggest disappointments with Bender is pre draft I was lead to believe he had good passing ability and could be used in the high post as a creator.

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[lilfishi22]

I find it insane that Bender has regressed. This guy is clearly just collecting a check.

I don't think he's collecting cheques in the sense that he's lazy or not working on his craft. I think he's just not as talented or as mentally inclined to play elite level basketball as we were made to believe

[Saberestar]

I think that Bender is gonna be probably a rotation player in the NBA in his prime...a player similar to Bjelica.

But who wants to pay him for the next five years until he is 26 and plays like that?

[Fo-Real]

As Bwgood mentioned, all of our younger players looked better down the stretch of last year than now. Maybe... just maybe it does have something to do with still learning and picking up the system. Even Bender looked like he could take a step forward if you think abut it then this year just fell flat on his face. If you look up game highlights from Josh (looked comfortable and awesome) and Bender (at least had some good shooting games and looked more engaged). This weaving system really does not demand a dominant pg and kind of lends itself to having a guy like Booker at point (Koko said he tailored his system to the players he had) , hell Ariza looked like he was running point forward in the Warrior game and looked great. Lets see what this looks this thing looks like with Booker and more time to acclimate. lets see who shakes free and if they are a decent option at pg.