Minnesota Sports Forum

I just want 5 games with Bennett starting and getting 30+ minutes without being pulled after the first mistake. Is that so much to ask for? I just don't think he is a spray bottle player needing to be punished after each mistake to prevent it from happening again. His confidence is shot so I'm interested in how he would play in a punishment free zone for a few games with big minutes. It could be a disaster, but relegating him to the bench has done nothing to get his confidence back and he plays with no energy as a result in my opinion. At least give him the chance to get some positive momentum to see if he can grow more that way than punishing him through his minutes.

khans2k5 wrote:I just want 5 games with Bennett starting and getting 30+ minutes without being pulled after the first mistake. Is that so much to ask for? I just don't think he is a spray bottle player needing to be punished after each mistake to prevent it from happening again. His confidence is shot so I'm interested in how he would play in a punishment free zone for a few games with big minutes. It could be a disaster, but relegating him to the bench has done nothing to get his confidence back and he plays with no energy as a result in my opinion. At least give him the chance to get some positive momentum to see if he can grow more that way than punishing him through his minutes.

That is exactly the point I was trying to make Khans. It would be different if we had a Blake Griffin, Zach Randolph or Dirk Nowitski waiting to come back in, but it's fucking Thad Young that is getting 30 some minutes a game, playing lousy D, not rebounding and providing below average offense as well.

Playing him for more consistent minutes would at least let us know if we should pick up his option for the following year.

Camden wrote:

AbeVigodaLive wrote:I don't see any market for Bennett.

- He had arguably the worst rookie season for a #1 pick in modern history. It was painfully, dreadfully, comically terrible.
- He's been sorta serviceable on what has been the worst team in basketball this season.
- He's set to make nearly $6M.

I don't know what potential he's shown to be worth giving up a 1st rd. pick or another legit asset. But the Wolves aren't stuck financially where they have to dump him. And he's not taking up a roster spot for somebody more promising.

So I see him staying here... for better or worse.

Abe, he's practically been the same player from last year. Check the stats if you don't believe me. Same painfully, dreadfully terrible player; just wearing a different uniform. http://www.basketball-reference.com/players/b/bennean01.html

We don't have to dump him, necessarily, but $6M is good rotation player money. Hell, we got Martin for that essentially. We won't find another bargain like that, but I'd rather dump then explore instead of keep him and be stuck. I also think we could use money/roster spot towards a backup PG. (Wonder if we could use Bennett + ? to get Calderon...)

Not to mention, I don't see Thad opting out or getting traded, which means he'll be here next year. Flip's gonna want to play Payne next year since he just traded for him. Bennett isn't needed here.

Sometimes, I walk on eggshells with criticism to avoid silly attacks. I've wussed out at times.

Yes. Let's just say I'm not impressed with Bennett's game... at all. As for Young... the cap starts going up next year, right? So teams are probably more willing to pay slightly more next year, one could presume. So it might make sense for him to take the $9 or 10M from the Wolves and throw his hat in the ring after a season on a better team.

Camden wrote:
Abe, he's practically been the same player from last year. Check the stats if you don't believe me. Same painfully, dreadfully terrible player; just wearing a different uniform. http://www.basketball-reference.com/players/b/bennean01.html

We don't have to dump him, necessarily, but $6M is good rotation player money. Hell, we got Martin for that essentially. We won't find another bargain like that, but I'd rather dump then explore instead of keep him and be stuck. I also think we could use money/roster spot towards a backup PG. (Wonder if we could use Bennett + ? to get Calderon...)

Not to mention, I don't see Thad opting out or getting traded, which means he'll be here next year. Flip's gonna want to play Payne next year since he just traded for him. Bennett isn't needed here.

Thad isn't really needed either. Certainly not as a starter.

TheGrey08 wrote:

Camden wrote:
Abe, he's practically been the same player from last year. Check the stats if you don't believe me. Same painfully, dreadfully terrible player; just wearing a different uniform. http://www.basketball-reference.com/players/b/bennean01.html

We don't have to dump him, necessarily, but $6M is good rotation player money. Hell, we got Martin for that essentially. We won't find another bargain like that, but I'd rather dump then explore instead of keep him and be stuck. I also think we could use money/roster spot towards a backup PG. (Wonder if we could use Bennett + ? to get Calderon...)

Not to mention, I don't see Thad opting out or getting traded, which means he'll be here next year. Flip's gonna want to play Payne next year since he just traded for him. Bennett isn't needed here.

Thad isn't really needed either. Certainly not as a starter.

BT, he has to be a starter, because he can't perform with the bench guys!

edit: Would that make Thad a half dimensional player?

sjm34 wrote:

TheGrey08 wrote:
Thad isn't really needed either. Certainly not as a starter.

BT, he has to be a starter, because he can't perform with the bench guys!

edit: Would that make Thad a half dimensional player?

haha, well he doesn't really fit at PF with with any of our C's. I can maybe see him at SF next to Wiggins. If he is kept I'd like to see him used as the 6th or 7th man.

I was hoping to get Wiggins and Thompson back from the Cavs. I didn't like giving a first for Young because if fully healthy and playing lights out we still weren't good enough to compete for a spot in the West. If we were in the East then I would have saw the point. I felt Bennett was just a throw in with us hoping he would improve and play solid basketball. In Bennett and Young we added a bunch of unnecessary payroll. Young is best served off the bench.

At least the centerpiece of the deal is working out for us.

sjm34 wrote:

khans2k5 wrote:I just want 5 games with Bennett starting and getting 30+ minutes without being pulled after the first mistake. Is that so much to ask for? I just don't think he is a spray bottle player needing to be punished after each mistake to prevent it from happening again. His confidence is shot so I'm interested in how he would play in a punishment free zone for a few games with big minutes. It could be a disaster, but relegating him to the bench has done nothing to get his confidence back and he plays with no energy as a result in my opinion. At least give him the chance to get some positive momentum to see if he can grow more that way than punishing him through his minutes.

That is exactly the point I was trying to make Khans. It would be different if we had a Blake Griffin, Zach Randolph or Dirk Nowitski waiting to come back in, but it's fucking Thad Young that is getting 30 some minutes a game, playing lousy D, not rebounding and providing below average offense as well.

Playing him for more consistent minutes would at least let us know if we should pick up his option for the following year.

This is nonsense. AB has been getting regular minutes off the bench nearly all season. He's not just coming in at garbage time or in spot situations. He's been our #2 PF for the large majority of the season and is averaging 16 minutes per game. Yet we continue to hear this tired argument of "just give him a chance! He needs more minutes!"

Once a player gets regular playing time, simply ratcheting up their minutes from X to X+5 or X+10 isn't going to magically turn him into a different player.

I have a feeling Bennett is going to be one of these players that might need to hit some sort of bottom for a period of time before maturing and figuring out who he is as a player. Unfortunately, with a large contract and #1 pick label hanging over his head, he's got the albatross of high expectations to compete with. It's probably been messing with his head.

Anthony Bennett = Derrick Williams

always tantalizing always disappointing

Volans19 wrote:Anthony Bennett = Derrick Williams

always tantalizing always disappointing

Two things....I actually think Bennett has more inherent talent than Williams. On the other hand, Williams was a more productive player at this stage in his career, albeit still disappointing. So yeah, the gap between talent and output is even MORE gaping than with D-Will.

I have a feeling AB might just figure things out someday, but it likely will require a tour of duty overseas or a few stints in the D-League. I'd personally like to keep him for the Wolves and be patient, but he costs so damn much - and that's the real problem.