Everything Anthony Bennett

[Mess]

Wow...people are already trading away the other PFs and resigning Bennett to a long term deal.




(I wonder if they're the same ones who want Terrence Ross ran out of town.)

[Snooch]

A confident and optimally-contributing Bennett can replace what Patterson brings to the team, in my opinion. I think Scola, as a seasoned Vet, brings more value than just what he offers on the Court... so my vote is PPat if Bennett proves he can play. I think Scola will be a valuable piece for us, and someone I wouldn't mind Bennett learning a thing or two from.

Ppat and Demar....

[WJF]

Wow...people are already trading away the other PFs and resigning Bennett to a long term deal.




(I wonder if they're the same ones who want Terrence Ross ran out of town.)

No one is saying ship out Paterson right now. What they are doing is speculating what could happen in a best case scenario. Bennett plays well and shows he is a legit NBA player that will make one of the 2 power forwards currently slotted to play the bulk of the minutes expendable. All hypothetical thoughts, nothing wrong with that.

[Wild-ling#1]

Well no one can stop this sort of speculation. But I'd like to keep the pressure off of him. I'm hoping he has no expectation other than to play and grow as a professional.

I am curious as to when he's eligible to be re-signed, though. We can't offer him more than the minimum right now. It'd be cool to lock him up for a second year on a modest contract ... again. Keep it more about playing than "cashing in", for now.

[Mess]

No one is saying ship out Paterson right now. What they are doing is speculating what could happen in a best case scenario. Bennett plays well and shows he is a legit NBA player that will make one of the 2 power forwards currently slotted to play the bulk of the minutes expendable. All hypothetical thoughts, nothing wrong with that.

So don't ship him out now, wait til February. Got it.

Hypotheticals are fine with me, but it's the unrealistic "best case scenario" ones that I roll my eyes at.

Yeah I know, it is a low risk/high reward (where the only risk is getting your hopes up and it's obviously debatable just how high the reward could be).

But in a vacuum, how well does Bennett have to play through the first 40/50 games that the team would trust him enough to jettison PP or Scola? To me he'd have to play much better than he did for FIBA this summer. Is that likely? Is that even possible?

I admit that I can imagine scenarios where PP or Scola do get traded, but they have little to do with Bennett - all they require is him to be slightly better than "unplayable".

Like for instance, those crazy...I mean...imaginative trade proposals where a package that includes PP can get you a top 5 pick, MU likely makes the deal whether or not Bennett is sleepwalking through the season. And the other would be if for whatever reason the Raptors completely shit the bed that there's no compelling reason to keep Scola. MU can find a contender who would want him and get an asset for him.

I honestly do hope it's easier for Bennett now that the expectations of the top pick have fallen away and he can be judged by other, lower, more suitable standards. But I think any expectation of him being the answer for the Raptors at the 4 is dubious - in the long term and especially in the short term.

But hey, Go Canada.

[thead]

what I actually said was.... with 8 Power Forward options...SOMEONE is on the way out.

I then speculated that it could be Patterson because he has the best deal, you could get something for him, and Scola can start.

I don't actually know what will happen but I'm 962% certain SOMETHING will

[thead]

PF options in order of likelihood

Patterson, Scola, Johnson, Carroll, Bennett, Biyombo, BeBe and Bruno

[Demographic Shift]

I wonder how bad Minnesota's front office is shitting their pants on the first instance of a Canadian kid forcing his way out of town. Granted Bennett is not the other Canadian they have on their roster but a precedent has been set.

[golden]

It's interesting how Bennett put up a PER of 11.4 in his second season at age 21, and he's being written off as historically bad. Yet Harrison Barnes put up a 9.8 PER in his second season at age 21 (actually down from a lowly 11.0), and now he's rejecting a $16M/yr @ 4-yr extension, with experts predicting he'll get a max offer next season.

Barnes/Bennett is a great example of how situation, role, opportunity and coaching in the formative years can be just huge in defining the arc of a player's career & perception around the league. And Barnes' numbers still aren't that great (PER 13.4, below league average 15.0), but his reputation has soared far above his actual production.

[Miekenstien]

So don't ship him out now, wait til February. Got it.

Hypotheticals are fine with me, but it's the unrealistic "best case scenario" ones that I roll my eyes at.

Yeah I know, it is a low risk/high reward (where the only risk is getting your hopes up and it's obviously debatable just how high the reward could be).

But in a vacuum, how well does Bennett have to play through the first 40/50 games that the team would trust him enough to jettison PP or Scola? To me he'd have to play much better than he did for FIBA this summer. Is that likely? Is that even possible?

I admit that I can imagine scenarios where PP or Scola do get traded, but they have little to do with Bennett - all they require is him to be slightly better than "unplayable".

Like for instance, those crazy...I mean...imaginative trade proposals where a package that includes PP can get you a top 5 pick, MU likely makes the deal whether or not Bennett is sleepwalking through the season. And the other would be if for whatever reason the Raptors completely shit the bed that there's no compelling reason to keep Scola. MU can find a contender who would want him and get an asset for him.

I honestly do hope it's easier for Bennett now that the expectations of the top pick have fallen away and he can be judged by other, lower, more suitable standards. But I think any expectation of him being the answer for the Raptors at the 4 is dubious - in the long term and especially in the short term.

But hey, Go Canada.

here here. speculating on the "what ifs" and completely preparing for them like they are certainty. we got a young player for nothing, that is all that has happened here. expectations of him being the starting 4 by the trade deadline are way way overly optimistic. aim more for "shows he actually can play in this league" and then later you wont get angry at him for not living up to what you say he is.

nothing should be expected from him. if he turns this around it is like norman powell proving he belongs in a rotation. he is a young kid who has had a very humbling two years, this is going to take time.

it has been mentioned but every time bennet looks good is when he is playing against inferior competition and his natural talent level is far superior to thiers. this is good and bad, it shows that the skill is there and it shows that he might not have the heart it takes to compete at the next level. alexander daigleish.

i hope this works out, it would be so so good for the franchise, for benet, for canada but i think planning around bennet as the starting 4 by the trade is way off base.

[DanH]

Tricky thing with the Barnes comparison is that a) PER undervalues him compared to other stats (he's now well above average in WS production) and b) he has one incontrovertible NBA skill - he's great from 3, and was always at least good from there.

Whereas Bennett is probably overvalued by PER (his WS are terribly low). The good news with Bennett is all his stats, from his first to second year, got significantly better. Considering that sort of improvement, I still can't figure why the Wolves cut him loose.

[DogeLover1234]

Can someone confirm that ronald roberts d league rights are held by another team? I was hoping he could stick around the 905s but i think chances are unlikely now.

[Miekenstien]

It's interesting how Bennett put up a PER of 11.4 in his second season at age 21, and he's being written off as historically bad. Yet Harrison Barnes put up a 9.8 PER in his second season at age 21 (actually down from a lowly 11.0), and now he's rejecting a $16M/yr @ 4-yr extension, with experts predicting he'll get a max offer next season.

Barnes/Bennett is a great example of how situation, role, opportunity and coaching in the formative years can be just huge in defining the arc of a player's career & perception around the league. And Barnes' numbers still aren't that great (PER 13.4, below league average 15.0), but his reputation has soared far above his actual production.

Tricky thing with the Barnes comparison is that a) PER undervalues him compared to other stats (he's now well above average in WS production) and b) he has one incontrovertible NBA skill - he's great from 3, and was always at least good from there.

Whereas Bennett is probably overvalued by PER (his WS are terribly low). The good news with Bennett is all his stats, from his first to second year, got significantly better. Considering that sort of improvement, I still can't figure why the Wolves cut him loose.

i would also like to add that barnes was a #1 college recruit, likely #1 pick who didn't enter the draft, rightly or wrongly, and then dropped in a strong draft class. god damn coin flip. where bennet was a surpirse #1 pick in a weak class.

age and previous expectations are coming into play for barnes and his value as gms see the potential that was seething from him begin to come to fruition

[Letter N]

It's interesting how Bennett put up a PER of 11.4 in his second season at age 21, and he's being written off as historically bad. Yet Harrison Barnes put up a 9.8 PER in his second season at age 21 (actually down from a lowly 11.0), and now he's rejecting a $16M/yr @ 4-yr extension, with experts predicting he'll get a max offer next season.

Barnes/Bennett is a great example of how situation, role, opportunity and coaching in the formative years can be just huge in defining the arc of a player's career & perception around the league. And Barnes' numbers still aren't that great (PER 13.4, below league average 15.0), but his reputation has soared far above his actual production.

Because PER is a joke.

[Axel]

i would also like to add that barnes was a #1 college recruit, likely #1 pick who didn't enter the draft, rightly or wrongly, and then dropped in a strong draft class. god damn coin flip. where bennet was a surpirse #1 pick in a weak class.

age and previous expectations are coming into play for barnes and his value as gms see the potential that was seething from him begin to come to fruition

Barnes has also shown to be a pretty good defender (relative to his age) at the 3/4. His post defence was especially good in the playoffs at the PF spot and allows them greater flexibility in using All-NBA defenders Green and Bogut.