JULY 26, 8:09am: The Bucks have officially signed Bender, per NBA.com’s transactions log.
JULY 25, 12:20pm: The first year of Bender’s deal with the Bucks is partially guaranteed, while the second is non-guaranteed, reports Matt Velazquez of The Milwaukee Journal Sentinel (Twitter links).
JULY 25, 10:49am: Free agent power forward Dragan Bender won’t be returning overseas after all, as ESPN’s Adrian Wojnarowski reports (via Twitter) that the former lottery pick has reached an agreement on a two-year deal with the Bucks.
Guarantee details aren’t yet known, but Milwaukee can’t offer more than the veteran’s minimum, which would result in salaries worth approximately $1.68MM in 2019/20 and $1.82MM in 2020/21 for Bender.
Bender, 21, spent the last three seasons with the Suns after being selected fourth overall in 2016. However, he has failed to develop into a regular NBA rotation player, averaging 5.3 PPG and 3.8 RPG with a .394/.321/.647 shooting line in 171 games in Phoenix.
A report last week indicated that Bender was close to signing with defending EuroLeague champions CSKA Moscow. However, the verbal agreement Bender had with the Russian club was said to be contingent on him not receiving any last-minute NBA offers. Now that the Bucks have swooped in at the 11th hour, the young big man will remain stateside.
Before making their deal with Bender official, the Bucks are already carrying 14 players with fully guaranteed salaries for 2019/20. If Bender gets a guaranteed salary too, it would make him a strong favorite to fill the team’s 15th and final regular season roster spot.
Photo courtesy of USA Today Sports Images.
Phoenix missed Hield and Fox, both by one pick each
PHX had the #4 pick in 2017 and picked Josh Jackson. De’Aaron Fox was the next pick. They also picked Bender at #4 in 2016 when Buddy Buckets was available and ended up going 6th to NOP. So technically they swung and missed.
Siakam, Brogdon, Jamal Murray are just some of the players drafted after Bender. Hi Suns fans lmao
I’m not a suns fan at all , but it’s hard to judge some of those guys I mean , it’s not like Brogdon was a high pick , Jamal Murray though yeah they messed up imagine him and booker ?
They would give up more points then they already do.
Every team passed on Brogdon and nearly every team passed on Siakam. The draft is a crapshoot.
I wouldn’t necessarily count Siakim or Brogdon as misses. Half the league missed out on those guys and they were late picks.
Honestly Murray is the only legit one u can say the Suns passed on. That would b the best shooting backcourt behind Steph and allay
Suns definitely draft badly, but the second half of the draft is pretty tough when it comes to picking the best ones.
Hmmm not sure how I feel about this move for the bucks , but perhaps the move to a winning team will change his fortunes . Considering he still is only 21 he could turn things around , plus it’s not like he got a big contract or anything so time will tell
It’s a good low risk signing for the last spot on the roster. Kid shot .366 from deep on nearly 4 attempts per game two seasons ago so some potential exists. I agree that getting away from that sh*t show in Phoenix can only help. Put him in a now first class organization with a bonafide NBA coach and see what happens.
15th roster spot on a team that just won 60 games. minimum salary for a 23yr old 4th overall pick. explain whats not to like about this please
He’s actually only 21, so that’s even better.
Maybe this dude can come off the bench and score like 4 points for them this year.
Nice. I like it. He’s only 21. Maybe he can become a solid contributor. Can’t give up on a big man that young. So close to the finals last year and now our bench is wayyyy better.
Yeah the bench is better this year , I just worry about a George hill slip now that he got paid , and will brook be as good this year ? Brogdon was for sure a loss but picking up Wesley Mathews was s nice low key pick up for them . Now everyone got paid except for the Greek freak let’s hope they still want it as bad , this is the best year to go to the finals with the Celtics not as good and the raptors , nets are solid but won’t be that dangerous without Durant this year only team to worry on is the sixers in the east .
Hill’s deal is basically for two years since the third year is only partially guaranteed and BroLo’s game should age quite well now that he’s basically a spot up shooter.
As for them wanting it bad, Giannis isn’t the kind of player to take his foot off the gas when he’s this close to his goal and this team’s demeanor matches his
Hey I hope your right it’s nice to hear about the bucks for once
Now, if only Giannis could learn how to shoot.
Bucks to go on a two year BENDER !!
The Suns miss on everyone.
2018
Ayton over Doncic because of owner nepotism
2017
Jackson (already dumped) over D’Fox, Markkanen, Mitchell etc.
2016
Bender (already cut) over Hield and Murray.
AND traded up to take Marquesse Chriss (already cut, almost out of the league) and passed
on Sabonis and Poeltl.
2015
Booker. Good pick.
2014
TJ Warren. OK pick. But these brainiacs sign him to a nice deal..and then have to attach a good pick to salary dump him?!
2013
Alex Len. Dumped. He’s gone on to develop his game in ATL. There were a lot of misses in the 2013 draft so it’s hard to say they “passed” on Giannis or CJ McCollum.
2012
Kendall Marshall. Out of the league. Unathletic, slow PG who got injured.
Nicely done, Phoenix.
In sum the