Dragan Bender Rumors | Hoops Rumors

Central Notes: Irving, Drummond, Pritchard

August 4th, 2017 at 7:32pm CST by Austin Kent

Although they didn’t make Cavaliers All-Star Kyrie Irving‘s specifically curated list of preferred destinations, the Suns have come up as a potential landing spot for the disgruntled point guard. Details of a supposed Phoenix offer have come to light, an azcentral report writes.

The Suns are said to have offered the Cavaliers Eric Bledsoe, Dragan Bender and a first-round pick, the article says, attributing the initial report to an ESPN radio station in Minnesota.

It’s not hard to see why the Cavaliers didn’t immediately accept the offer. While Bledsoe is a serviceable veteran guard, his injury history only reduces his already limited value (relative to Irving, that is).

Further, 19-year-old Bender was quite raw during his first NBA season and wouldn’t likely impact the Cavaliers’ chances of contending with the Warriors next season.

There’s more from the Central Division:

After a sinus operation, Pistons center Andre Drummond is breathing easier, sleeping better and growing less tired on the court. Rod Beard of the Detroit News documents the big man’s offseason, noting that the soon-to-be 24-year-old has taken trade rumors to heart.
When the Pacers let Kevin Seraphin go, they freed up more cap space, Bobby Marks of ESPN tweets. His contract would have become guaranteed on August 1.
Although it’s hard to truly gauge the Paul George trade, Pacers president of basketball operations Kevin Pritchard has had a successful offseason since, Gregg Doyel of the Indianapolis Star writes. Unfortunately, he suggests, the franchise may have been better off temporarily bottoming out.

Pacific Rumors: Chriss, Bender, Clips, Bogdanovic

June 21st, 2017 at 11:58pm CST by Luke Adams

The Suns have been one of the teams to engage the Knicks in talks regarding a possible Kristaps Porzingis trade, as we heard earlier tonight. Although a Tuesday report indicated Phoenix balked at New York’s initial asking price of Devin Booker and the No. 4 pick, the two sides appear to have continued discussions.

According to Ian Begley of ESPN.com, some iterations of potential trades involving Porzingis in recent discussions between the Suns and Knicks have involved Marquese Chriss and Dragan Bender. The two bigs were Phoenix’s lottery picks from 2016, and are among the best trade chips the club has to offer if Booker is off the table.

Here’s more from around the Pacific division:

The Clippers have been calling teams that have picks in the middle of the second round in an effort to get back into the draft, according to NBA executive who spoke to Brad Turner of The Los Angeles Times. Los Angeles has $3.27MM left to spend in the 2016/17 league year if the club wants to buy a pick.
Bill Oram of The Orange County Register has more details on the Clippers‘ plan to be active on draft night, despite the fact that the team doesn’t currently hold any picks.
Kings draft-and-stash prospect Bogdan Bogdanovic is leaning toward making the leap to the NBA for the 2017/18 season, but has not yet informed Fenerbahce – his team in Turkey – what his plans are, sources tell Emiliano Carchia of Sportando.

Pacific Notes: Pelinka, Buss, Ulis, Bender

April 4th, 2017 at 9:32pm CST by ChrisCrouse

Rob Pelinka’s deal with the Lakers is for five years and it’s worth over $20MM, according to Brian Windhorst of ESPN.com (h/t RealGM). Los Angeles hired Pelinka to be the team’s GM last month. Windhorst adds that lucrative deals are becoming typical for high-ranking members of teams’ front offices.

Here’s more from the Pacific Division:

A judge ruled that Jeanie Buss will retain controlling ownership of the Lakers, according to Ramona Shelburne of ESPN.com (ESPN Now Link). It was previously reported that Jim and Johnny Buss would try to take over control of the team.
Tyler Ulis continues to impress in a starting role for the Suns, Scott Bordow of The Arizona Republic writes. “I knew Tyler was pretty special quickly,” coach Earl Watson said. The rookie is averaging 14.8 points, 9.1 assists, and 1.4 steals per contest since becoming the starter in mid-March.
Dragan Bender is back on the court after recovering ankle surgery and while his minutes are limited, the Suns like what they see, Bordow adds in the same piece. “He’s just a straight basketball player,” Watson said. “He goes out there, he just plays the game. He takes what the defense gives him.”

Injury Updates: Millsap, Rivers, Bender, Beasley

March 31st, 2017 at 3:28pm CST by Luke Adams

It has been a rough few weeks for the Hawks, who have struggled to keep their hold on the No. 5 seed in the Eastern Conference, having been caught by the Bucks in the standings. Still, Atlanta has won its lost two games and more good news is on the way. According to Chris Vivlamore of The Atlanta Journal Constitution, Paul Millsap has returned to practice and signs are pointing toward him returning to action soon.

Millsap underwent a non-surgical procedure recently to help address the swelling and fluid buildup in his knee, following his diagnosis of synovitis. The four-time All-Star has missed the Hawks’ last seven games and his return would be a boon for a team that has posted an 8-14 record since mid-February.

Here are a few more injury updates from around the NBA:

Clippers guard Austin Rivers is expected to miss the last five games of the regular season with a strained left hamstring, writes Bill Oram of The Orange County Register. Rivers called the injury a frustrating one, but suggested he anticipates being back for the start of the playoffs.
Suns head coach Earl Watson indicated on Thursday that rookie big man Dragan Bender is getting close to returning to the court, and could be back within the week, barring setbacks, per Gerald Bourguet of Fansided (Twitter link). Bender underwent ankle surgery in February, and it’s somewhat surprising that Phoenix wants to see him return with just a few games left, rather than having him focus on 2017/18.
After missing the Bucks‘ last 17 games due to a hyperextended left knee, Michael Beasley is set to make his return on Friday night, tweets Charles F. Gardner of The Milwaukee Journal Sentinel. Acquired in a preseason trade, Beasley has become a reliable rotation piece this season in Milwaukee, averaging 9.7 PPG and 3.6 RPG in 50 games (17.1 MPG).

Pacific Notes: Len, Zubac, Warriors, Chriss

March 24th, 2017 at 10:46am CST by Milo Taibi

With restricted free agency looming, Alex Len has been given every opportunity to lock down the Suns‘ starting center job. Veteran big man Tyson Chandler has been shut down for the season for non-health reasons, and Dragan Bender remains sidelined with an ankle injury. Earl Watson has recently deployed a combination of Len, Alan Williams, and Marquese Chriss at the five. Now averaging 10.8 PPG with 9.5 rebounds over his last four games, the onus is on Len to prove himself as an NBA-caliber starter down the stretch.

“It’s my contract year, so it’s a huge stretch. I just have to show everybody I can be a starting center in this league,” Len told Doug Haller of AZ Central. “I got an opportunity, I just have to prove it.”

Watson spoke positively of Len, noting the fourth-year center’s efforts to add 3-point shooting to his arsenal.

“Big guys in this league, either you develop and shoot the 3 or you become a great rebounder,” Watson said. “Alex Len is a capable corner 3-point shooter, he just has to get comfortable shooting it and he has to practice it. That’s where the confidence will come from.”

Dragan Bender To Undergo Ankle Surgery

February 8th, 2017 at 11:50am CST by Luke Adams

11:50am: Bender will undergo ankle surgery, but the timeline for his return has yet to be determined, according to John Gambadoro of Arizona Sports 98.7, who tweets that Bender hasn’t necessarily been ruled out for the year.

I’d expect the Suns to play it safe with Bender and shut him down for the season, rather than trying to get him back on the court for the lottery-bound franchise down the stretch, but we’ll await official word from the team.

11:14am: Dragan Bender‘s rookie season will come to an early end, according to Croatian journalist Bernard Jurisic, who reports that the Suns big man will require surgery on his injured ankle (English link via Sportando). Although the team has yet to make a formal announcement, international basketball reporter David Pick has heard the same thing, tweeting that Bender will undergo a season-ending procedure on his ankle today.

Bender, 19, hasn’t made a major a splash in his first NBA season, averaging 3.2 PPG nad 2.2 RPG in 38 regular season contests (12.7 MPG). Still, despite coming off the board fourth overall last summer, Bender wasn’t viewed as a player who would make an immediate impact, so the Suns certainly remain optimistic about his long-term future.

As Kevin O’Connor of The Ringer wrote this week, Suns general manager Ryan McDonough said his front office was “almost split down the middle” on whether to take Bender or Marquese Chriss with the No. 4 pick in the 2016 draft. Phoenix ultimately opted for Bender, but was able to snag Chriss as well after acquiring the No. 8 pick from Sacramento.

Within O’Connor’s piece, McDonough praised Bender’s maturity and suggested that the Suns are happy with what they’ve seen from him so far.

“I know people look at the raw stats,” McDonough said. “But more for us, when we look at him defensively, him moving the ball, him making the right play, and being in the right position, he does all those things at a very high level for a 19-year-old guy.”

Pacific Notes: Green, West, Randle

February 7th, 2017 at 6:57pm CST by Austin Kent

Warriors teammates Kevin Durant and Draymond Green were once again seen in a verbal altercation Saturday night. According to Chris Haynes of ESPN, it was all part of a master plan by Green.

“Nothing in general” led to the altercation, the Warriors forward said Tuesday. “It was actually a tactic. But that’s for us to know and for everyone else to figure out.”

Green, Hayes writes, was trying to use reverse psychology to motivate his struggling teammate and supposedly followed it up by winking and smiling at some of the Warriors coaching staff.

Earlier this month Green and Durant were seen arguing with one another on the court when the Warriors lost to the Grizzlies.

Despite their interesting relationship, Green and Durant are said to have watched the Super Bowl together the day after the incident, suggesting that the altercation caused no hard feelings. With a 43-8 record, the Warriors have earned the benefit of the doubt when it comes to locker room chemistry.

There are more headlines out of the Pacific Division today:

The Warriors may need to compete with the Lakers if they want to convince 78-year-old executive Jerry West to stay with the team after his contract expires in July, writes Tim Kawakami of the Mercury News.
Veteran forward P.J. Tucker knows how to get the most out of his younger teammates and his tough-love approach has been put in effect with current Suns rookies Marquese Chriss and Dragan Bender, writes Doug Haller of the Arizona Republic.
The Lakers handed out significant contracts to veterans Timofey Mozgov and Luol Deng over the offseason but lately the tandem has been coming off the bench, notes Baxter Holmes of ESPN. “I’m not going to say it’s permanent, but we’re going to see how it goes,” head coach Luke Walton said, citing the need to develop young players as the reason for the decision.
Limited to just five minutes over the previous four games, Julius Randle has recovered from pneumonia and and returned to the lineup for the Lakers on Monday. The power forward is expected to be at full strength heading forward, writes Bill Oram of the Orange County Register.
There are plenty of assets on the Suns roster, writes Kevin O’Conner of the Ringer. The scribe breaks down what could be next for Phoenix, including franchise cornerstone Devin Booker and “good-but-not-great” point guard Eric Bledsoe.

Pacific Notes: Knight, Kings, Dudley, Kerr

December 30th, 2016 at 1:01pm CST by Arthur Hill

The Suns would like to trade Brandon Knight before the February 23rd deadline, according to Marc Stein of ESPN. The sixth-year guard has been the odd man out in the crowded Phoenix backcourt, starting just four games this season. He played only nine minutes in Thursday’s win over Toronto, fewer than rookie Tyler Ulis. Knight was acquired at the trade deadline in 2015 as part of a three-team deal with the Bucks and Sixers. He became an immediate starter, but a sports hernia limited him to 52 games last season and he was eclipsed in the rotation by Devin Booker. Knight still has three seasons and nearly $44MM left on his contract.

There’s more from the Pacific Division:

The Kings‘ recent rise in the Western Conference standings may cost them their draft pick, Stein writes in the same story. Sacramento sent a future choice to Cleveland in a 2011 trade for J.J. Hickson, and that pick was moved to Chicago in a 2014 deal involving Luol Deng. The Bulls will get that selection this year only if it falls outside the top 10. Right now, the Kings are 15th in our Reverse Standings.
The Suns are giving more playing time to rookie forward Dragan Bender, which has resulted in fewer minutes for Jared Dudley, notes Doug Haller of The Arizona Republic. The 31-year-old swingman, who rejoined Phoenix on a three-year, $30MM deal this summer, sat out his third straight game Thursday night. “It’s the NBA,” coach Earl Watson said when asked about Dudley. “Everyone’s all right. We all live a nice life.” Dudley is averaging 8.2 points through 29 games and is shooting 44.4% from 3-point range.
Warriors coach Steve Kerr is joining the chorus of critics of the NBA’s Last Two Minute officiating reports, relays Sam Amick of USA Today. The league issued a report this week noting that Golden State was hurt by two missed calls late in a Christmas Day loss to the Cavaliers. “It does put the refs in a tough spot,” Kerr said. “I don’t know what it accomplishes, but I do appreciate that the league is trying to be transparent about what they’re looking at, and how the refs are judged and all that. But I’m not sure to what extent it really helps anybody.”

Western Notes: Gentry, Speights, Bender

December 9th, 2016 at 7:45pm CST by Eddie Scarito

The Pelicans are off to a 7-16 start to the campaign, but coach Alvin Gentry isn’t concerned about his job status, Justin Verrier of ESPN.com relays. “I really don’t give a [expletive] about my job status,” Gentry said. “I’m gonna work hard, and I’m gonna coach until the day they tell me I’m not the coach here anymore. It doesn’t matter. I don’t ever worry about that. That isn’t anything that I spend five seconds worrying about. My worry is how do I get the guys in the locker room to play at the level that I want them to. That’s where all my effort goes. It doesn’t go anywhere else.”

When asked if he ever imagined things would get this rough in New Orleans, Gentry said, “No, I didn’t expect this, no. But we have who we have. And the bottom line is, I don’t care who we have in the locker room. All I expect is them to do is compete and play hard, which they’ve done most of the night, and then we’ve got to try to find a way to execute. And then we’ve got to make some shots. We’ve got to knock down some shots. That’s the bottom line.”

Here’s the latest from out West:

Clippers forward Marreese Speights was down on the franchise’s perceived culture after the team’s recent drubbing by the Warriors, Dan Woike of The Orange County Register relays. “That’s the scouting report when you play against the Clippers,” Speights said. “It’s always been, especially with the Warriors, you play against the Clippers, you hit them a couple of times, and their spirit is going to be down. That’s what happened, so we’ve just got to find a way to get over that hump.”
Suns big man Dragan Bender is learning on the job during his first season in the league, a process he discussed with Paul Coro of The Arizona Republic. “I’m just growing each and every day, trying to learn,” Bender said. “I know this is my first year and I’m 19 years old and I know it’s going to be tough for me. I’m just going to come each and every day and compete. I’ll try to go against anybody on the court. It doesn’t matter who it is in front of me. I just try to help win the games. My job is to play defense and hit the open shots and deliver the ball at the right time.”

Suns Notes: Williams, Ulis, Bender, Warren

November 24th, 2016 at 7:55pm CST by Arthur Hill

After spending last Thanksgiving in China, Phoenix native Alan Williams has landed his “dream job” with the Suns, writes Paul Coro of The Arizona Republic. The 23-year-old big man’s quest to play in the NBA started with a 10-day contract with Phoenix in March. He chose the Suns over the Rockets, who were willing to sign him for the remainder of the season. Williams’ gamble paid off when Phoenix gave him a multi-year contract, and his $875K salary for this season became guaranteed in September. He is averaging 6.0 points and 6.2 rebounds per game and posted two double-doubles last week. Suns coach Earl Watson believes Williams has a 10-year career ahead.

There’s more news out of Phoenix:

After seeing almost no action in his first 12 games, Tyler Ulis is becoming a reliable backup point guard, Coro writes in a separate story. The 5’10” rookie has averaged 6.8 points, 2.5 assists and 2.3 steals over the last four games and is making a case to be part of the regular rotation. “I just come in and try to make the most of my minutes,” Ulis said. “Do what coach and the players want me to do. Get guys involved, get paint touches and get into my man defensively.”
Watson says rookie Dragan Bender has a bright NBA future, but that won’t guarantee playing time right now, Coro adds in the same piece. The Croatian power forward is seeing just 10 minutes per night through the first month of his career. “I think Dragan is going to have amazing opportunities moving forward,” Watson explained. “We understand he’s a big part of our future as a cornerstone. But the NBA is not just as easy as playing guys you like. There’s a lot of things that go into it.”
Small forward T.J. Warren is out indefinitely with a minor head injury, the Suns announced on their website. Warren left a game on Friday after just nine minutes of action and hasn’t played since. Phoenix GM Ryan McDonough said the organization has a policy of being extra cautious with injuries to the head and estimated Warren will be sidelined “a matter of weeks.” Warren has appeared in 13 games, all starts, and is averaging 17.7 points and 4.3 rebounds per night.