FEBRUARY 23: The signing is official, the Warriors announced on Twitter.
FEBRUARY 20: The Warriors intend to sign free agent big man Dragan Bender to a 10-day contract, according to ESPN’s Adrian Wojnarowski, who adds (via Twitter) that the deal is expected to be completed on Sunday. Emiliano Carchia of Sportando first reported that Golden State was considering bringing in Bender on a 10-day pact.
Bender, the fourth overall pick in the 2016 draft, spent three seasons in Phoenix before joining the Bucks for the 2019/20 season. The 22-year-old was on Milwaukee’s roster until earlier this month despite appearing in just seven NBA games, but was waived when the team needed to make room for Marvin Williams.
With career averages of 5.2 PPG and 3.7 RPG in 178 NBA contests (20.0 MPG), Bender hasn’t delivered on the potential that made him a top-five pick in 2016. However, the Warriors had some success developing the Suns’ other ’16 lottery pick – Marquese Chriss – this season, so perhaps the team can also make positive strides with Bender.
The Warriors currently have three open roster spots after Jeremy Pargo‘s and Zach Norvell‘s 10-day contracts expired earlier this week. Anthony Slater of The Athletic (Twitter link) suggested the team plans to roll with 12 players for tonight’s game, at least, since not immediately filling those open roster spots will help the club remain comfortably below the tax.
Bender will make $94,851 on his 10-day contract, with Golden State taking on a $91,557 cap hit.
Cap hit should be $91,557?
Yes, put the decimal in the wrong spot when transcribing that. Fixed now, thanks.
They’re much better of trying to develop Bender instead of Chriss.
Why not take a chance. McGee became productive by them. Nunn became a good player through their system. Now Chriss is a good player through the system. RG3 became a better player.
If you actually watched basketball, you’d have seen the marked improvement of Chriss’s entire game. He’s a beast now. Will be funny if they develop Bender the same way and continue the dynasty that way. 5 more finals, hope youre ready…
Gotta be honest strikefour but I don’t know much about bender but I’ve seen a lot of chriss who has been fantastic since the trades. Does he compare to Chriss? I’ll trust your assessment
Since Wiggins, came they’re playing the running game well. Dlo killed that. Even Poole seems to have found his game. And Chriss seems suited to this warriors style that I missed when DLo played
Criss per game, last 10 games: 26′, 14p, 7r, 1a, 2blocks, 62%fg, 2-8 GSW record. Prorated 36′, 20-9-2-3.
Good enough for a bad team. It would be funny if GSW does well with the Suns’ ‘failed’ picks.
The problem with drafting for potential.
For Chriss the best thing was GSW were bad this year so he was able to play with time to learn. On any good team he would not had the chance.
arc89… or maybe Chriss got better? He’s still in his early twenties.
Bender played well tonight. Especially on D. Maybe he can stick
Watching game. 6 minutes left. Houston up 35. THIRTY-FIVE!!!! And Westbrook, not the trailing team player, the player leading by 35, starts crap.
All ur posts are meaningless. U support a complete jackass. He’s all urs, HWMVP. All, urs. Congrats
Btw, up 35? 6 minutes left? Why is Westbrook playing?? Stats. Purely for stats. Enjoy ur rockets, dude
He was just trying to work up a sweat, that’s all. None of the Rockets starters played more than 30 minutes.
It’s so naive to even think Westbrook even cares about his stats anymore. He averaged a triple-double in each of the last three seasons in OKC. Do you even know how many triple-doubles Russ has with the Rockets this season? Just eight, that’s it.
How are you going to disrespect a Rockets guard and choose Westbrook?
Gotta love those rockets!!
Gotta love those warriors, and their fans, who are stuck in the past still thinking their team can get back to the Finals. Their ship has sailed, and the team is now stuck in limbo with $130M committed to their new “big 4” which will be a one-and-done team in the 2021 playoffs (assuming they even make the postseason).
I’d be upset if i was a Rocket fan too, i mean how does it feel to consistently think you have a championship contending team but can’t even get out of the Western conference? It’s been how many years now ? This year is no different except your head coach will probably be fired after the season and your whole team will get blown up. Enjoy the regular season success year in and year out. The rockets have no culture or nothing to build on, they’re just a sorry team with disgruntled fans that know just how pathetic their team really is HAHA
Rockets are fine, Warriors will be better next few years.
Change your name to Olajuwon-Ming-Murphy.
I’m actually enjoying watching these young guys. They have a lot in common with the Rockets. They’ll all be watching the finals from their recliners.
Well if they can make Criss a productive player maybe they can make Bender a productive bench player. Stretch four at 10 minutes a game
Thought someone would give him a shot. Very small sample size for his 3% but still, stretch 4s are hard to come by and he is young.
This guy is only 22 years old. Lot of things can happen between 18 and 22. Gets a little stronger, a little more confident Etc.
Gets first hair on ball
Open tryouts for Warriors, guys. Suit up.
Watching him play the little he did with the Bucks and their G league team, the Herd, I saw some improvement. Bender has been putting alot of hard work in. Hope the best for him.
Love me a ten day bender
Imagine making close to 100K in 10 days, and that is the minimum salary.
Rofl at Phoenix. Fit makes some sense, although I thought Houston would have been interesting. Not sure how the minutes will look there though with Chriss, Looney, Draymond, Paschal all capable of playing at the 5. As I’ve said, he was definitely significantly improved in summer league, and that carried over. People forget he had to learn how to play as a big. Both those guys had high upside, and are still super young. GS has done a good job working on Chriss’ defense, and developing his weaknesses, as well as improving his IQ. I’m very interested to see what happens with Bender, and if they develop both those guys, as Josh Jackson and Deanthony Melton are showing their talent in Memphis, it just shows what I’ve been saying for years now, and that’s Phoenix is an awful organization, and it’s going to take more for James Jones to keep them moving in the right direction, as they have been slightly smarter this year, mostly thanks to Monty Williams and Ricky Rubio helping Booker improve significantly
The problem is a team has to hang on to their kids, waiting. It takes a lot of patience. It’s easier to use the draft for winning, then pick up these “failures” as FAs, offering a winning culture that is based on actually winning. [Starting to be reminded of the CurrentCavs, bye]