Dragan Bender News, Discussion and Highlights

[Revived]

How awesome it would be to see this!

[SuperSunsFan]

We would still have defensive problems starting both Murray and Booker however I guess.

My guy was Buddy Hield, I didn't really care that he played the same position as booker but he was the surest thing at that draft position. I truly believe that we should go safe ( more track records to evaluate, or with least weaknesses that might never be corrected) with a high pick and go for the potential with a lower pick, but somehow McD thought differently, he always went for the high risk high ceiling guy with a high pick and a veteran with very low potential using the 2nd round picks.

[lilfishi22]

I just went through the 2016 draft asking "What if"....and honestly...I'm OK with our craptastic draft.

After picks 1 & 2, it was a crapshoot. We made a ballsy move to double down on two guys who had the skill (but neither seem to have the motivation) to be ideal stretch 4's.

I'm OK with it.

It's whatever with Dragan. I can handle one high level bust in that draft but what's unforgivable is doubling down on Chriss which now means we have two high level busts. Same position, same lack of readiness and giving up assets to get Chriss is just inexcusable.

[SunsRback4Good]

Well, there goes our stretch four. Now how do we proceed?

[lilfishi22]

At this stage, TJ could probably play the 4 in today's NBA

[SuperSunsFan]

At this stage, TJ could probably play the 4 in today's NBA

If Doncic is a 4 in the NBA I don't see why not. 4s don't post up anymore, most of them are basically taller and stronger 3s and play like 3s as well (getting off a screen to spot up, corner 3s, pick & roll or driving to rim from FT line) anyway, besides Porzingis, Aldridge and Griffin I don't think he will have that big a disadvantage guarding anyone else.

[WeekapaugGroove]

At this stage, TJ could probably play the 4 in today's NBA

It's all he's played this season.

Sent from my Pixel 2 XL using RealGM mobile app

[gaspar]

I'd still like to know just why Bender hasn't spent one single second up in Prescott despite being the one who most desperately needed it from the day he arrived in 2016? Oh well.

The Suns have been really bad at utilizing their G league team in recent years. So many successful teams in the league today use their G league teams to develop guys who play rotation mins for them. Philly, San Antonio, Houston, Golden State are few of many examples.

I don’t understand why they never sent Chriss or Bender there. I don’t understand why they don’t Jackson there now. Or even Melton who is basically catching rust sitting on the bench.

It really feels like the last player to go down to the G-League is Archie Goodwin who had quite a few stints. I don't get why Melton isn't down there, he's basically been listed as inactive in the last few games so...

The G-League season starts on Friday...

[Son of Ra]

I just can't fathom that Ryan effing Anderson is considered a better player than Bender by our FO.
A player Houston, a contender, had - despite a huge contract and in theory being perfect for their system - rotting on the bench because he was so terrible yet we, a rebuilding team play him as a starter in front of young guys. I'd rather play a young guy with only a 5% chance of panning out than this guy who's 100% not going anywhere (and being effing terrible at the same time).

I wish I could abandon my fandom. This FO is killing me.

[Revived]

At this stage, TJ could probably play the 4 in today's NBA

Gordon Hayward plays the 4 for the Celtics so yeah I'm sure TJ can.

[Qwigglez]

Read on Twitter

I'm actually pretty annoyed that we aren't giving Bender another chance with a new coach. Quite frankly, Anderson is playing like hot garbage, both on offense and defense. Bender's gotten a total of 11 minutes through the 6 games we've played while Ryan Anderson is averaging 23 minutes a game and shooting 36% from the field and 22% from 3. Yeah Anderson's career 3PT FG% is at 38%, but Bender has shown real promise shooting almost 37% from 3 last year. In February last season, Bender shot 45% from the field and 42% from 3. In the last 12 games of the season without Booker, Bender shot 33% from 3, and that's with the last 5 games nobody really cared and he actually shot 47% from 3. I can only imagine that Bender would look like a nice role player given the chance to play with both Booker and Ayton. I feel like we waited until the last minute to decline his 2019-2020 because we wanted to give him the opportunity to show himself, but the guy only got a damn 11 minutes thru 6 games! And in those 11 minutes all he did on offense was camp in the corner, there was no play set up for him, we've basically set him up for failure.

Crazy that we'd rather continue to give minutes to Ryan no-defense Anderson instead of giving them to Bender, who has shown at the very least small glimpses of potential on both ends of the court. Unless we have a trade lined up that makes us significantly better, I don't see the reason for us not exercising his 2019-2020 option.

[Son of Ra]

Read on Twitter

I'm actually pretty annoyed that we aren't giving Bender another chance with a new coach. Quite frankly, Anderson is playing like hot garbage, both on offense and defense. Bender's gotten a total of 11 minutes through the 6 games we've played while Ryan Anderson is averaging 23 minutes a game and shooting 36% from the field and 22% from 3. Yeah Anderson's career 3PT FG% is at 38%, but Bender has shown real promise shooting almost 37% from 3 last year. In February last season, Bender shot 45% from the field and 42% from 3. In the last 12 games of the season without Booker, Bender shot 33% from 3, and that's with the last 5 games nobody really cared and he actually shot 47% from 3. I can only imagine that Bender would look like a nice role player given the chance to play with both Booker and Ayton. I feel like we waited until the last minute to decline his 2019-2020 because we wanted to give him the opportunity to show himself, but the guy only got a damn 11 minutes thru 6 games! And in those 11 minutes all he did on offense was camp in the corner, there was no play set up for him, we've basically set him up for failure.

Crazy that we'd rather continue to give minutes to Ryan no-defense Anderson instead of giving them to Bender, who has shown at the very least small glimpses of potential on both ends of the court. Unless we have a trade lined up that makes us significantly better, I don't see the reason for us not exercising his 2019-2020 option.

Agreed 100%. Basically exactly what I said a few posts earlier, just different words.

[sunsbg]

Read on Twitter

I'm actually pretty annoyed that we aren't giving Bender another chance with a new coach. Quite frankly, Anderson is playing like hot garbage, both on offense and defense. Bender's gotten a total of 11 minutes through the 6 games we've played while Ryan Anderson is averaging 23 minutes a game and shooting 36% from the field and 22% from 3. Yeah Anderson's career 3PT FG% is at 38%, but Bender has shown real promise shooting almost 37% from 3 last year. In February last season, Bender shot 45% from the field and 42% from 3. In the last 12 games of the season without Booker, Bender shot 33% from 3, and that's with the last 5 games nobody really cared and he actually shot 47% from 3. I can only imagine that Bender would look like a nice role player given the chance to play with both Booker and Ayton. I feel like we waited until the last minute to decline his 2019-2020 because we wanted to give him the opportunity to show himself, but the guy only got a damn 11 minutes thru 6 games! And in those 11 minutes all he did on offense was camp in the corner, there was no play set up for him, we've basically set him up for failure.

Crazy that we'd rather continue to give minutes to Ryan no-defense Anderson instead of giving them to Bender, who has shown at the very least small glimpses of potential on both ends of the court. Unless we have a trade lined up that makes us significantly better, I don't see the reason for us not exercising his 2019-2020 option.

Dragan's career so far fully described in a few words.

In theory he should fit perfectly coming off the bench for Ayton, i.e distribute from the top of the key in Igor's system, or spreading the floor for him. Obviously he has not done it in practices and was probably as terrible as in his 3rd summer league and preseason. If he has looked any better than Anderson, I doubt his option gets declined.

[CROklahoma]

I cannot believe what your FO is doing.
Bender is extremely mobile for his height, and could easily turn into a matchup nightmare on both sides if someone in your organisation could develop this guy into.
Who was your last player that turned into something besides Booker ? Bledsoe ?

These kids aint gonna turn into next Jordans or Bryants or even Stojakovic or Ilyasova without someone teaching them some stuff.

Your FO really gave up on a extremely mobile 7fter, who shoot 37% from 3PT, and with eFG of 51% last year, who is only TWENTY years old ?
You probably know that theres gonna be a bunch of teams, some of em contenders that are gonna cash him in for a year or two ...

[gaspar]

I cannot believe what your FO is doing.
Bender is extremely mobile for his height, and could easily turn into a matchup nightmare on both sides if someone in your organisation could develop this guy into.
Who was your last player that turned into something besides Booker ? Bledsoe ?

These kids aint gonna turn into next Jordans or Bryants or even Stojakovic or Ilyasova without someone teaching them some stuff.

Your FO really gave up on a extremely mobile 7fter, who shoot 37% from 3PT, and with eFG of 51% last year, who is only TWENTY years old ?
You probably know that theres gonna be a bunch of teams, some of em contenders that are gonna cash him in for a year or two ...

Have you seen him play in the NBA at all? He actually possesses below average lateral quickness. I've seen athletic monsters like Doug McDermott blow by him repeatedly. His defensive ability, passing and feel for the game were waaaay overstated before the draft.

[Revived]

Read on Twitter

I'm actually pretty annoyed that we aren't giving Bender another chance with a new coach. Quite frankly, Anderson is playing like hot garbage, both on offense and defense. Bender's gotten a total of 11 minutes through the 6 games we've played while Ryan Anderson is averaging 23 minutes a game and shooting 36% from the field and 22% from 3. Yeah Anderson's career 3PT FG% is at 38%, but Bender has shown real promise shooting almost 37% from 3 last year. In February last season, Bender shot 45% from the field and 42% from 3. In the last 12 games of the season without Booker, Bender shot 33% from 3, and that's with the last 5 games nobody really cared and he actually shot 47% from 3. I can only imagine that Bender would look like a nice role player given the chance to play with both Booker and Ayton. I feel like we waited until the last minute to decline his 2019-2020 because we wanted to give him the opportunity to show himself, but the guy only got a damn 11 minutes thru 6 games! And in those 11 minutes all he did on offense was camp in the corner, there was no play set up for him, we've basically set him up for failure.

Crazy that we'd rather continue to give minutes to Ryan no-defense Anderson instead of giving them to Bender, who has shown at the very least small glimpses of potential on both ends of the court. Unless we have a trade lined up that makes us significantly better, I don't see the reason for us not exercising his 2019-2020 option.

I don’t understand why nobody replied to Kokoskov’s comments with “Well why is Anderson ahead of Bender in the rotation despite Anderson shooting such low %s and not bringing anything positive defensively?”

[No Koko]

I cannot believe what your FO is doing.
Bender is extremely mobile for his height, and could easily turn into a matchup nightmare on both sides if someone in your organisation could develop this guy into.
Who was your last player that turned into something besides Booker ? Bledsoe ?

These kids aint gonna turn into next Jordans or Bryants or even Stojakovic or Ilyasova without someone teaching them some stuff.

Your FO really gave up on a extremely mobile 7fter, who shoot 37% from 3PT, and with eFG of 51% last year, who is only TWENTY years old ?
You probably know that theres gonna be a bunch of teams, some of em contenders that are gonna cash him in for a year or two ...

Have you ever watched him play? He will never be a matchup nightmare. He wouldn't even be able to post up on Tyler Ulis and he cannot drive against anybody without it ending in a pathetic turnover. He also is not strong nor athletic.

I 100% promise you Bender will never even be a good role player. He has severely low testosterone and regardless of how tall he is or how long his wingspan is he will NEVER have the testicles to man up enough for even 10 good minutes a game. He simply does not want it. I've never seen an NBA player with less of a fire to be successful. I see him going back to Europe and averaging less than 10 PPG there for the rest of his career.

[Saberestar]

Read on Twitter

Well in that case, it sounds like Igor wasn't ready to give up on him. I'm really hoping Sarver's not deciding these moves. This one makes little sense.

What I understand about his answer is that he believes that there are at least 12 better players on the roster than Bender.

And our team is pretty bad, so enough said.

[Ettorefm]

He's done. Thank god.

[bwgood77]

Read on Twitter

Well in that case, it sounds like Igor wasn't ready to give up on him. I'm really hoping Sarver's not deciding these moves. This one makes little sense.

What I understand about his answer is that he believes that there are at least 12 better players on the roster than Bender.

And our team is pretty bad, so enough said.

Yeah, but he's among the youngest, and at least 6 of those guys are likely gone next year (Crawford, Canaan, Ariza, Daniels, Anderson, Chandler). So that leaves him 7th on the pecking order and the only true PF. Maybe 8th if you put Melton ahead of him.

And he's a bargain. We are not going to find 6 guys cheaper. We may sign one or two who will cost more and draft a couple that cost less (if we even have our 2nd rounder next year).

Someone will pick him up and there is a decent chance we regret it, as we've seen many guys leave and do well on other teams. But I guess I'm used to it. Giving up on top 5 picks who are 20 or 21 on cheap rookie contracts is quite ridiculous, but it's Sarver, and a rookie GM in his first few weeks.