Dragan Bender News, Discussion and Highlights

[lilfishi22]

Strange you wrote that in the offseason and after a few games trying to learn Koko's system playing with mostly players trying to just make the roster outside of Ayton, you want to not pick up his option.

It's not strange at all, I didn't think picking up the 4th year option was something we should necessarily do even then. I like Bender but after being invisible in his 3rd SL and after doing damn near nothing in the preseason, I'd rather not pick up his option and work out another way retain him for cheaper

That doesn't happen normally. He will be a FA who can sign for more elsewhere. With him it's a possibility he would sign for less with us, since he seems to like it in Phx, but his agent would probably find another deal elsewhere. Someone will be interested in him, but if you don't think Kokoskov can help improve his game, I guess I see your viewpoint, but I believe in Igor.

Who is paying Dragan Bender more than $6m a year? Who has the cap space or MLE to spend on Bender?

I don't have bulletproof belief in anyone that hasn't proven themselves. That includes Igor, Bender, JJ or even Ayton. Until they prove themselves, their position as a player or coach *can* be questioned.

[bwgood77]

It's not strange at all, I didn't think picking up the 4th year option was something we should necessarily do even then. I like Bender but after being invisible in his 3rd SL and after doing damn near nothing in the preseason, I'd rather not pick up his option and work out another way retain him for cheaper

That doesn't happen normally. He will be a FA who can sign for more elsewhere. With him it's a possibility he would sign for less with us, since he seems to like it in Phx, but his agent would probably find another deal elsewhere. Someone will be interested in him, but if you don't think Kokoskov can help improve his game, I guess I see your viewpoint, but I believe in Igor.

Who is paying Dragan Bender more than $6m a year? Who has the cap space or MLE to spend on Bender?

I don't have bulletproof belief in anyone that hasn't proven themselves. That includes Igor, Bender, JJ or even Ayton. Until they prove themselves, their position as a player or coach *can* be questioned.

Tons of teams have a lot of cap space next summer, including us, and many will strike out on free agents and may want to take a chance of a 7 footer who can knock down 3s for a year....and maybe extend if he continues to improve in other areas.

[sunsbg]

Putting this thread on the first page again so nobody decides Bender is not on the team anymore.

But seriously why is Anderson in the game with 20+ point deficit in 4th quarter and not "the team's future" ? Maybe it's already decided to not pick his option, which is sad, despite I'm already 90% sure Dragan is just another Darko(no passion for the game at all).

I was secretly hoping Igor will turn Bender into something, but he has played a total of 4 mins in 3 games, if I'm not mistaken.

[Saberestar]

Gambo said on his show that the Suns are gonna decline their team option on Dragan Bender.

[bwgood77]

Gambo said on his show that the Suns are gonna decline their team option on Dragan Bender.

Not sure why they'd tell him these things but also don't know why he'd make things up but I still wouldn't be surprised if that's just his opinion.

[SwingMan1938]

After the fool he's made himself out of beginning with the draft right on up to the present, it ought to be a consensus around here that Gambo is so full of s#!t that his eyeballs float.

Dude's like "The Onion" - only without the humor.....

[Fo-Real]

It is only his opinion based on the state of his play and the common sense inaction of the team so far but he is probably right.

[Revived]

Not surprising, figured his chances weren’t good after reading this few weeks back

Read on Twitter

[ImNotMcDiSwear]

Not surprising, figured his chances weren’t good after reading this few weeks back

Read on Twitter

I thought this would be the case as soon as McD was let go.

The biggest disappointment about Dragan has been in his hands - doesn't steal the ball, doesn't rebound or block shots often, doesn't disrupt the passing lanes. Our scouts failed to see this or just assumed that any lanky Euro can develop Kirilenkiness. I'm not sure he has a future in this league. He'll have to prove it first overseas.

This also means his contract did not hold positive value in trade. The suffering we experienced with Markieff et al in 2015-16 was all for naught. I hope this year's undue suffering will yield fruit this summer. Ayton's so good, we'll never have a better chance to contend than with this kid.

[RaisingArizona]

Bye, Len 0.5

[RaisingArizona]

Not surprising, figured his chances weren’t good after reading this few weeks back

Read on Twitter

I thought this would be the case as soon as McD was let go.

The biggest disappointment about Dragan has been in his hands - doesn't steal the ball, doesn't rebound or block shots often, doesn't disrupt the passing lanes. Our scouts failed to see this or just assumed that any lanky Euro can develop Kirilenkiness. I'm not sure he has a future in this league. He'll have to prove it first overseas.

This also means his contract did not hold positive value in trade. The suffering we experienced with Markieff et al in 2015-16 was all for naught. I hope this year's undue suffering will yield fruit this summer. Ayton's so good, we'll never have a better chance to contend than with this kid.

McDs biggest failure has to be drafting two pfs in the lottery and not getting either to pan out.

[SwingMan1938]

The biggest question I have about Bender now is:

Why in the hell hasn't he been sent up to Prescott yet? He's the one who's needed G-League run the most from day 1 - and now that he's steady collecting arse splinters, WTF is he *still* doing here in Phoenix?

[bwgood77]

The biggest question I have about Bender now is:

Why in the hell hasn't he been sent up to Prescott yet? He's the one who's needed G-League run the most from day 1 - and now that he's steady collecting arse splinters, WTF is he *still* doing here in Phoenix?

He's either working with Igor and learning the offense with the team, or if Gambo's great reporting and it's true they are declining his option, it doesn't matter what they do. He will be gone so what would be the point in developing him? It seems head scratching they'd decline it but I scratch my head a lot with this team's moves.

[jcsunsfan]

The biggest question I have about Bender now is:

Why in the hell hasn't he been sent up to Prescott yet? He's the one who's needed G-League run the most from day 1 - and now that he's steady collecting arse splinters, WTF is he *still* doing here in Phoenix?

He's either working with Igor and learning the offense with the team, or if Gambo's great reporting and it's true they are declining his option, it doesn't matter what they do. He will be gone so what would be the point in developing him? It seems head scratching they'd decline it but I scratch my head a lot with this team's moves.

$6 million more in free agency next summer. That would be the reason.

[bwgood77]

The biggest question I have about Bender now is:

Why in the hell hasn't he been sent up to Prescott yet? He's the one who's needed G-League run the most from day 1 - and now that he's steady collecting arse splinters, WTF is he *still* doing here in Phoenix?

He's either working with Igor and learning the offense with the team, or if Gambo's great reporting and it's true they are declining his option, it doesn't matter what they do. He will be gone so what would be the point in developing him? It seems head scratching they'd decline it but I scratch my head a lot with this team's moves.

$6 million more in free agency next summer. That would be the reason.

No ****. But we already have max cap space easily. He's a 7 footer who can hit the 3, move around the perimeter well, switch and has an ok handle. Definitely a guy tailor made to work in Igor's offense.

[sleepyvato]

It's a shame about Bender but we can't keep lying to ourselves. He is a certified bust just like Chriss is. I like him but he has no future with the Phoenix Suns. I think an NBA team or two will give him a chance but it won't be long before we see him back in Europe. I was afraid that Chriss's future as a basketball player would end up being in the Chinese league back when we first drafted him but I never thought that Bender would follow his footsteps in being a bust too.

Man what an awful draft that was for us.

[SwingMan1938]

The biggest question I have about Bender now is:

Why in the hell hasn't he been sent up to Prescott yet? He's the one who's needed G-League run the most from day 1 - and now that he's steady collecting arse splinters, WTF is he *still* doing here in Phoenix?

He's either working with Igor and learning the offense with the team, or if Gambo's great reporting and it's true they are declining his option, it doesn't matter what they do. He will be gone so what would be the point in developing him? It seems head scratching they'd decline it but I scratch my head a lot with this team's moves.

$6 million more in free agency next summer. That would be the reason.

Nah, I'm not buying anything Gambo's saying. The guy's a knee-jerk fool who tries to scoop all the time. There's little reason not to pick up Bender's 4th year - just get his ass up to Prescott for run.

The roster goals for James Jones this season (and coming off-season) should be simple: Get a season rental at PG (McConnell, Tyus Jones), go 4/5 in the draft then snag Rubio on July 1, 2019.

[WeekapaugGroove]

The fact he's not playing right now tells me they have already made the decision on him. It's not like they have guys killing it in front of him.

I expect they keep him until the deadline to see if they can use his cap number in a deal then move on. There are a good number of those guys on the roster. Hell I'd cut Chandler, Daniels, and maybe Anderson the day after the deadline if they are still here.

Sent from my Pixel 2 XL using RealGM mobile app

[bwgood77]

The fact he's not playing right now tells me they have already made the decision on him. It's not like they have guys killing it in front of him.

I expect they keep him until the deadline to see if they can use his cap number in a deal then move on. There are a good number of those guys on the roster. Hell I'd cut Chandler, Daniels, and maybe Anderson the day after the deadline if they are still here.

Sent from my Pixel 2 XL using RealGM mobile app

Still a dumb move to decline an option like that on a useful player....one of our better shooters last year and probably would be up there this year if got playing time with things more spread out and more ball movement.

[WeekapaugGroove]

The fact he's not playing right now tells me they have already made the decision on him. It's not like they have guys killing it in front of him.

I expect they keep him until the deadline to see if they can use his cap number in a deal then move on. There are a good number of those guys on the roster. Hell I'd cut Chandler, Daniels, and maybe Anderson the day after the deadline if they are still here.

Sent from my Pixel 2 XL using RealGM mobile app

Still a dumb move to decline an option like that on a useful player....one of our better shooters last year and probably would be up there this year if got playing time with things more spread out and more ball movement.

Yeah I don't love the move just saying I see the writing on the wall here.

Sent from my Pixel 2 XL using RealGM mobile app