1:36pm: The Suns have officially signed Bennett, according to RealGM’s transactions log.
10:00am: The Suns have reached an agreement to sign former first overall pick Anthony Bennett to a contract, reports Shams Charania of The Vertical (via Twitter). According to Charania, Bennett’s deal with Phoenix will be non-guaranteed.
Bennett, 24, has bounced around the NBA since being selected with the No. 1 overall pick by the Cavaliers in the 2013 draft. After spending his rookie season in Cleveland, Bennett was part of the trade that sent Kevin Love to the Cavs, and played for the Timberwolves in his second season. Since then, the power forward has also spent time with the Raptors and Nets, but didn’t see much action for either club. In total, he has averaged 4.4 PPG and 3.1 RPG in 151 career NBA games (12.6 MPG).
Bennett’s most recent NBA experience came early in the 2016/17 season, when he appeared in 23 games for Brooklyn. He was waived by the Nets in January and headed to Turkey to play with Fenerbache for the rest of the season. According to Ryan Wolstat of The Toronto Sun (Twitter link), the UNLV product battled an ankle injury over the summer, but he seems to be healthy enough now to get a look from the Suns.
Currently, the Suns are carrying 12 players on fully guaranteed contracts, which could leave an opening for Bennett to make the team’s regular season roster. However, Alex Len is expected to sign his qualifying offer soon, and would claim one of those final three spots. Derrick Jones, who is on a non-guaranteed contract, looks like a good bet to make the roster too, so Bennett may end up competing with the likes of Elijah Millsap and Peter Jok to be Phoenix’s 15th man.
Now the Suns have the #1 and #5 picks in that stacked draft. Suns win, NBA loses.
Very good Move
How is it very good? Bennet averaged 4.4 points and 3.1 rebounds while on the BROOKLYN NETS
WOW THEY GOT A #1 OVERALL PICK!!
Worth taking a look at
Wow. I had Phoenix at 30 wins. Now I have to lower that to 27.
In a related story, Michael Olowakandi just got a new job at a new car lot.
Any updates on Kwame Brown?
He’s not had a fair chance yet. He had that shoulder injury to start his career, and his weight ballooned.
Let’s not forget that coaches’ systems can stifle a player too. Good luck AB
Bennet is a very good Player without true Love in his Game.
Watson help him and find The right way.
I think Bennet have enough Talent.
YO SUNS GOING ALL THE WAY AB GONNA BE MVP LMAO