Dragan Bender News, Discussion and Highlights

JMac1 · Post #981 » by **JMac1** » Sat Apr 28, 2018 5:20 pm

bwgood77 wrote:
Ettorefm wrote:
Channing Frye was also like a 27 year old dude in 2010.

Fine then. Frye as a 21/22 yo rookie had 12.3/5.8 on 47/33/82 splits and a 18 PER in less minutes than Bender (24)

Just waiting for the "Yeah but Bender is a year younger, just wait"

He shot 9 3 pointers as a rookie. His second year at 23 he shot 16.7% on 18 attempts. Then in his 3rd he shot 30% of 9 attempts. I wouldn't have called him much of a shooter then.

It's dumb to compare his early years to Bender anyway because he played inside, and wasn't instructed to stand at the 3 pt line and just launch 3s for most of his first two years.

Surprised people still use PER so much in 2018.

At stat you disagree with :lol:

Anyhow, Bender is 20. I liked the flashes he has displayed. All he needs to do is take his head out of his ass, grow some balls and play with some confidence and I think he'd be a perfect complementary 4 or 5. He can definitely replicate prime Frye with better passing and rebounding and play making. Fortunately for us, Booker and JJ appear to be the making of something special and you add this pick, it takes a lot of pressure off of what we need from Bender.

Still happy with what he can bring. Chriss looks good, but I don't trust his head; big baby.

Doncic or Ayton would benefit Bender well, even Bamba. He and Bagley wouldn't be a good pair. It would be like he and Chriss.

saintEscaton · Post #982 » by **saintEscaton** » Wed May 16, 2018 9:50 pm

This season's highlight reel. Hope Dragan can develop into an interior presence and more decisively attack closeouts/ tighten that handle as a driver to open up his game beyond spotting up.

Watch on YouTube

kennydorglas · Post #983 » by **kennydorglas** » Wed May 16, 2018 9:58 pm

saintEscaton wrote:This season's highlight reel. Hope Dragan can develop into an interior presence and more decisively attack closeouts/ tighten that handle as a driver to open up his game beyond spotting up.

Watch on YouTube

That game against Charlotte really showed his inner beast.
Probably Kaminsky talked crap for him and you could see his demeanor changed INSTANTLY.
Whatever he said to our Dragan, we need to do it for him in every game.

Ettorefm · Post #984 » by **Ettorefm** » Thu May 17, 2018 12:05 pm

Hope he's out of the rotation once Ayton is drafted.

Insecure when given the starting role, insecure when not given that many minutes. Not my cup of tea.

Damkac · Post #985 » by **Damkac** » Thu May 17, 2018 8:05 pm

I hope Kokoskov will turn him into good player.

Post #986 » by **lilfishi22** » Fri May 18, 2018 12:46 am

Ettorefm wrote:Hope he's out of the rotation once Ayton is drafted.

Insecure when given the starting role, insecure when not given that many minutes. Not my cup of tea.

Bender is the perfect guy next to Ayton (and Doncic too really). There's a reason why he still has value despite his weak attitude and overall lack of aggressiveness. I think he can start next to Ayton, giving the Suns two 7 footers who can move like a guard, switch defensively,spread the floor (Ayton too hopefully), has great passing skills (Bender has ran a couple PnR's), have complementary games and if these two build chemistry, they would be near unstoppable. Bender would open up the lane so much for Ayton to feast in the lane.

D3ko · Post #987 » by **D3ko** » Fri May 18, 2018 4:06 am

lilfishi22 wrote:
Ettorefm wrote:Hope he's out of the rotation once Ayton is drafted.

Insecure when given the starting role, insecure when not given that many minutes. Not my cup of tea.

Bender is the perfect guy next to Ayton (and Doncic too really). There's a reason why he still has value despite his weak attitude and overall lack of aggressiveness. I think he can start next to Ayton, giving the Suns two 7 footers who can move like a guard, switch defensively,spread the floor (Ayton too hopefully), has great passing skills (Bender has ran a couple PnR's), have complementary games and if these two build chemistry, they would be near unstoppable. Bender would open up the lane so much for Ayton to feast in the lane.

He will be great with Doncic, and Ido think that Bender will get some passion and motor for Luka, Bender is competitive player who is not been guided in the right direction yet .
Doncic and Bender will be a nightmare with 24 years old bodies, BBIQ,shooting, passing, switching on defence.

You have to be patient with Bender is younger than some of the coming rookies.

He has grown a lot the couple of years, he needs a real coach, a point guard and a system , he will be a Winning player years to come.

As a European i have seen Markannen and Bender getting old, and I would rather a 25 years old Bender than a 25 years old Markannen.

The Finnish is better shooter and scorer, but he is a worse basketball player than Bender, IQ,passing, defence.

My bet is that Dragan will be a really winning player in the right environment , not yet obviously.

He and Ayton are too soft to play together , I am begging the gods os Phoenix to draft Luka , and enjoy the 10 years ride.

Please choose IQ,engine player rather than physical potential , being Ayton a kind of player that will be good and reallly rich in his carrer, but not a go to guy or player to play through .

I can see him being a mix between Drummond, Myles Turner and Whiteside, really good player, spectacular, all the skills in the world in a incredible body, but not a player who can be trusted to carry the team.

Luka floor is a great pass first point guard with 35% 3's shoot and able to go to the line .
I didn't want Doncic to be the first pick because I reckon that is not generational talent and he could dissapointed in that expectations , but for Phoenix is the perfect player to get, with the perfect SG for him . And two youngs able to play fast tempo and ball movement system . Jackson and Bender

Ettorefm · Post #988 » by **Ettorefm** » Fri May 18, 2018 12:29 pm

Can we please stop with the 'patience' and 'age' thing? Dear lord...

"he's younger than some rookies this year"..always the same bs.

I wish you would understand that nobody here is complaining about Bender not being a finished product. That's not the point, so saying he's very young means NOTHING.

He could be 16 for all I care. If he were a 16 year old showing flashes of great potential, I'd wait 10 years for him. But what I cannot accept is laziness, being afraid of everything, not trying, and specially not honing skills. He improved no skill from year one to two, nor showed at least some hustle or will to play. He feels insecure when he's given too much to do, and doesn't feel confident when he plays off the bench. Enough.

Josh Jackson had an awful first half of the season, and then showed great potential. I can wait his entire rookie contract to evaluate him because he has shown something. I see his potential and he has shown he wants to stay in this league and be better.

One game where he played great is not enough. He doesn't deserve minutes until he shows some balls and hustle. We all talk about accountability and a winning culture, but letting someone who seems like he doesn't even want to be there, doesn't go for rebounds, does not hustle, is afraid of shooting...just get the starting role? Why is Marquese Chriss almost out of the rotation for his boneheaded moves and fouls and yet Bender gets a pass?

Once he proves he deserves a spot, he can get his minutes back. The thing is, we've all seen how mentally weak he is. If we give him only 10 minutes next year because he played like crap (and we have better players at his position) so that he proves himself, he'll break down and withdraw into his shell even more, as he did in these years every time he had low minutes. "ooh, I'm not important, I only play garbage time...might as well not shoot, what if I miss? What if I hurt the team? I'll just hide behind my matchup and not touch the ball"

It's the NBA. There are thousands of great players that want a spot, if Bender doesn't produce because the environement is too scary, why should he be in the rotation? Why should we bend over backwards just to put him in the best position possible in detriment of the team?

Teams put young players in a 'trial by fire' situation so they learn from their mistakes and develop, but there is a reason it's just a select group that coaches do this experiment with. Minutes and a bigger role can expose that a prospect simply isn't good enough, and that might ruin his confidence and career. It's a shame. Bender is part of the 2nd group, unfortunately. Josh Jackson is not. When JJ was playing bad, his answer was not to fade away into the background, but to work harder and be the biggest hustler in the team. He gave his everything and eventually started showing results.

But even if Josh Jackson had not turned his season around with amzing numbers, I'd still patiently wait many years for him. He actually cares. Some guys have the skill, and some guys have the balls/hustle. Bender has neither. His left hand is awful, hes a bad finisher, terrible rebounder, good 1v1 defender but awful in rotations, gets blown by easy, sets weak, embarassing screens that serve no purpose, forgets to box out...

It's not like he's a skilled genius who just lacks confidence. He's also not skilled enough to play in the NBA. Maybe he might be in a few years, but the thing is, the LEAST YOU CAN DO if you're an extremely raw prospect who's potential won't show until year 3 or 4, at least HUSTLE. Play with passion. I can wait 6 years for a raw prospect to become a good player if he shows he's trying.

Not even Bender's biggest stan has the balls to say that Bender gives everything out on the court. The Suns are practically giving him the green light to shoot whenever he wants so he develops and he's afraid.

darealjuice · Post #989 » by **darealjuice** » Fri May 18, 2018 1:58 pm

Or maybe you should just let people think what they want? You spin this exact same record on nearly every page of this thread, **** on everyone that has a positive opinion on Bender, and it hasn’t changed anyone’s mind.

TheLogician · Post #990 » by **TheLogician** » Fri May 18, 2018 3:15 pm

Bender is a rotation player that should succeed in Kokoskov's system. If he doesn't show improvement next year we'll cut bait. The end.

ImNotMcDiSwear · Post #991 » by **ImNotMcDiSwear** » Fri May 18, 2018 3:34 pm

I've said it before. Dragan's biggest strength is his passing - specifically, passing from the perimeter to the big, whom he's always looking for. At 7'1", you'll never keep him from getting the ball inside. And you can't leave him, because of his quick, high-release 3.

If he continues to improve the arc on that shot, and you pair him with a strong interior big, his skill set is going to be devastating. You put a real rim protector behind him (to the extent Ayton can prove himself in that regard), and he'll be free to stay home on shooters on defense.

I am PUMPED about a Bender/Ayton pairing in the front court.

jcsunsfan · Post #992 » by **jcsunsfan** » Fri May 18, 2018 4:46 pm

Bender should be able to excel in Igors offense. He uses a series of cutting and picks all bunched up at the free throw line. Players cut out to the three or toward the basket as they break free. Its perfect because it keeps Bender moving rather than just standing in the corner. He will have the option or cutting to the hoop or moving out to the three. In both situations he will be deadly. Igor must be really excited to have Bender.

Interestingly, Chriss should do well in this system also. Watson had these guys thinking they were stars in the making. So every play had to be a star play. When they missed as shot or dunk or whatever it was devasting. It did not help. What Igor needs to do is keep Chriss focused on what his job is on the floor at all times. It will keep his mind focused and his emotions in check.

Good grief we have had some bad coaching.

NTB · Post #993 » by **NTB** » Sat Jun 16, 2018 10:58 pm

Read on Twitter

NTB · Post #994 » by **NTB** » Sat Jun 16, 2018 11:32 pm

Read on Twitter

JMac1 · Post #995 » by **JMac1** » Sat Jun 16, 2018 11:40 pm

I still think he could be a core guy number 4 option. He is going to be perfect once Booker, Ayton, and JJ get there roles in place....with Holiday running the point. That's 3 shooter out there and only one weak defender in Booker.

Post #996 » by **lilfishi22** » Sun Jun 17, 2018 1:53 am

JMac1 wrote:I still think he could be a core guy number 4 option. He is going to be perfect once Booker, Ayton, and JJ get there roles in place....with Holiday running the point. That's 3 shooter out there and only one weak defender in Booker.

Absolutely. Imagine a 7ft 3&d glue guy who can shoot, pass, defend the perimeter and just play smart basketball

Post #997 » by **bwgood77** » Sun Jun 17, 2018 2:11 am

JMac1 wrote:I still think he could be a core guy number 4 option. He is going to be perfect once Booker, Ayton, and JJ get there roles in place....with Holiday running the point. That's 3 shooter out there and only one weak defender in Booker.

Especially once Ayton says "Come with me...I'll show you how to add some muscle to that frame."

JMac1 · Post #998 » by **JMac1** » Sun Jun 17, 2018 2:35 am

lilfishi22 wrote:
JMac1 wrote:I still think he could be a core guy number 4 option. He is going to be perfect once Booker, Ayton, and JJ get there roles in place....with Holiday running the point. That's 3 shooter out there and only one weak defender in Booker.

Absolutely. Imagine a 7ft 3&d glue guy who can shoot, pass, defend the perimeter and just play smart basketball

Crazy right. I think people are really sleeping on the 20 year old. When he was hot some games, you could see guys not wanting to leave him. He has a nice stroke too. He may not be the player we’d hope he be when we drafted him at 4, but if he just fulfills that role, I’d be more than happy with him with the emergence of Booker and hopefully JJ and Ayton.

Shoot pass defend and reb, plus he isn’t a jerk!

NTB · Post #999 » by **NTB** » Sun Jun 17, 2018 2:36 am

Read on Twitter

Post #1000 » by **bwgood77** » Sun Jun 17, 2018 2:42 am

NTB wrote:

Read on Twitter

It would be so great if Bender and Chriss took huge steps forward this season and Ayton proved to be a stud (he will be on offense), and these guys could be a nice frontcourt rotation for years to come. There is SO much versatility there and they all have the ability to block shots and shoot 3s.

It's all going to come down to really studying the game and learning how to be where they are supposed to be on defense, and for Bender to be more aggressive. If these guys all could take a step forward the team could be REALLY fun to watch because of all the athleticism and versatility.

Especially if we had a guy like Okobo to run with them...or Holiday.

Would you bring back Bender?