Anthony Bennett

[Monster]

This tweet got me thinking about Bennett.

@DarrenWolfson: @AlexisTwolves Not all of Bjelica, Hummel, Bennett, etc. will be here next year. Figure Payne and KG, yes.

Does Bennett have any positive trade value and if he brings back anything even a 2nd rounder and dumping his salary would you do it? What would you reasonably be ok with moving him for if that's not enough? I don't like giving up on players early but idk I think I would move on and let someone else go at him as a reclamation project. You guys have seen more of him this year than me thoughts?

[BizarroJerry [enjin:6592520]]

Cam may have a few thoughts here.

[khans2k5 [enjin:6608728]]

I would give him 1 more off season, summer league, training camp, etc. before making that decision. Worst comes to worse he's young depth with potential who could be an expiring next year and would play on nights KG sits. As far as a trade goes I would only add him to a package to get a known commodity over dumping him for a bad pick. My thinking though is Flip has shut him down and is done with him so I wouldn't be surprised to see him gone.

[Hicks123 [enjin:6700838]]

Is 2 years "letting go to early"? I don't know. Seems to me that by this time, you could at least get glimpses of strengths from players that are going to be successful. I see no strengths emerging from Bennett....seems like a clone of DW. Undersized big that either refuses, or isn't adaptable enough to transition to the NBA size and speed. Are you unhappy about ridding ourselves of DW? If not, I say do the same with Bennett. That being said, I think his salary is just too high to get anyone to bite.

[Q12543 [enjin:6621299]]

Our PF and C situation is a big, hot mess. With this season nearly over, I'm convinced that we only have one true Center on the squad and that's the oft-injured Pekovic.

Dieng was supposedly going to be his successor, but I think we all now realize what a disaster he is defensively. The times he did play next to Pekovic at PF were actually quite passable.

Soooo, here is our inventory of Power Forwards heading into this offseason:

KG - I think he should retire, but he'll likey sign a one or two year deal. Either way, we can't count on him to play more than 50 games and 18-20 minutes per.

Payne - Looks as lost out there as Bennett did - and Payne had the Izzo 4-year treatment, so it's hard to understand why he looks like a young fawn learning to walk for the first time. Regardless, he's not too expensive and he isn't going anywhere. I'd be fine with him supplanting AB as the primary backup 4 and see how he does next year.

Bennett - Seems like the type of guy that needs to bounce around a bit - hit rock bottom so to speak - and go find himself. It wouldn't surprise me at all if he emerged in two or three years on a different team as a strong contributor. In the meantime, he's under contract with us next season and I don't see anyone wanting him in a trade.

Dieng - A 'tweener C/PF that is easily pushed around by guys that aren't even as big as he is. "Awkwardly effective" on offense and boards; a trainwreck defensively. Would do best hidden at Power Forward next to a brutish Center.

Hamilton - Another 'tweener C/PF but he has the same problem as Dieng. He simply doesn't have the strength or thickness to offer much resistance in the paint. He is sneaky quick and moves pretty damn well out there. He also shows potential to hit the 3. Cheap, smart, end of bench guy that if plugged into a lineup of other good players won't hurt you.

Hummel - A 'tweener SF/PF that is similar to Hamilton in that he is smart and skilled and can be quite successful when surrounded by superior talent.

Bjelica - One of the best players in Europe right now. But even if we clear out room on the roster to accommodate him, how does he fit given this team's desperate need for better interior defense? That's not his strong suit. We might want to package him in a trade along with Dieng. Both of these assets have value out there.

And here is a our Center depth chart:

Pekovic


So yeah, Flip has his work cut out for him.

[Monster]

Q interesting writeup you forgot Bojan Dubljevi? who is quite a prospect but like a lot of these guys probably isn't going to be a solution on the defensive end.

I guess the good news is there are a lot of bigs in this draft right?

To me Bennett and DW are pretty similar clone would be to strong of a word for me but I feel like I can't convince myself Bennett is going to magically be something worth caring about with his lack of success so far AND injury problems. I feel like DW probably had some decent trade vale after his 2nd year and I thought hold onto him but man we should have moved him sooner although the return would have been moderate. I feel like some team may look at Bennett and think if he gets healthy things may click...

Personally for me after seeing Payne with his length makes me think Bennett is just too small. DW had some chance of sliming down and playing SF (that's what my hope for DW was) but I don't see Bennett with that chance he is PF and that's it and he is undersized. Bottom line for me is what I have seen out of these guys is if none of them would have been drafted where they were they would be all even. Dieng has the most value since he can at least block shots rebound and has an oddly useful array of moves on offense. I haven't given up on him as being useful on defense but I am not banking on him either. What makes a couple of these guys any different better than d-leaguers? Payne is cheap and despite him being whatever age he is still a rookie. Hummel clearly benefited from a year in Europe maybe Payne can make a similar jump and become more useful.

It's been said for a few years that PF is the easiest position to find in the league is that still true? If so we should be able to find that guy. Unfortunately it seems like Center is also a problem that needs to be solved as well. Sigh

[Camden [enjin:6601484]]

Waive him if you need to. I'd rather have the open roster spot.

[khans2k5 [enjin:6608728]]

Waive him if you need to. I'd rather have the open roster spot.

So you dislike him so much you are willing to pay his full salary to not play for us? He's an expiring so you keep him either for the sake of trading him or for depth. It makes no sense to pay his full salary to play for someone else. Heck send him to the D League to build up his trade value. There are a lot more better options than straight up cutting him with his fully guaranteed deal.

[KiwiMatt]

You don't waive a player who gets drafted number 1 only two seasons into his career for a roster spot. That's just plain stupid.

I don't have high hopes for Bennett ever living up to his potential, but I can see him developing in to at least a Patrick Patterson caliber player - Face up stretch 4.

Keep him another year and send him back to the trainer in LA this off season to shed some more of that baby fat.

[BizarroJerry [enjin:6592520]]

Well put q, it's one big hot mess. Flip is collecting mid tier PFs who collectively make a lot of money, but no one good enough to start.