Dragan Bender Rumors | Hoops Rumors

Atlantic Notes: Hornacek, Noah, Bender

May 26th, 2016 at 8:01pm CST by Eddie Scarito

The biggest beneficiaries from the Knicks hiring of Jeff Hornacek may be the team’s young point guards, Jerian Grant and Tony Wroten, writes Brian Lewis of The New York Post. Hornacek, whose offense depends on strong point guard play, should immediately improve the team’s woeful backcourt production, Lewis notes. “Jeff played in the league for years, coached in Phoenix,” Grant’s father, Harvey, said of the new coach. “His system was mostly pick-and-roll. Jerian, once he learns the system, he can flourish in that system. And Jeff can tell him the ins and outs of being a guard in this league.”

“Jerian, this guy gets in the gym and he puts the work in,” the elder Grant continued. “You have to be on the floor, you have to be on the floor and you’ve got to work through your mistakes and get that confidence. The last 12, 14 games, the fans in New York got to see what Jerian can do.”

Here’s more from the Atlantic Division:

Jordan Ott, an assistant coach with the Hawks and former assistant at Michigan State, is joining new Nets coach Kenny Atkinson‘s staff as an assistant coach and manager of advanced scouting, Chris Vivlamore of The Atlanta Journal-Constitution tweets.
If Joakim Noah decides to leave the Bulls this summer, the Knicks would have interest in signing him, provided it was at a discounted rate, Howard Beck of Bleacher Report relays (Twitter links). Beck points to Noah’s New York roots and the mutual respect between the big man and team president Phil Jackson as reasons the two parties could come together, but adding that Noah’s potential desire to start could prove problematic.
Celtics personnel, including president of basketball operations Danny Ainge, took a recent trip to Israel to scout potential top three pick Dragan Bender, international journalist David Pick relays (via Twitter). In a recent poll, Hoops Rumors readers predicted that Boston would select Bender with the No. 3 overall pick.

Celtics Notes: Mickey, Bender, Stevens

May 24th, 2016 at 6:45pm CST by Eddie Scarito

The Celtics are armed with a wealth of picks in this June’s draft, but the team also remains high on last season’s crop of rookies, Chris Forsberg of ESPN.com writes. Team executive Danny Ainge believes that a number of Boston’s young players could blossom if given more playing time, Forsberg relays. Ainge also noted that he has received trade inquiries from other teams regarding power forward Jordan Mickey and point guard Terry Rozier, the scribe adds.

“I really believe it’s an opportunity league. There are many players that are sitting on benches on other teams that are stacked with talent that just don’t get an opportunity. We have some on our team,” Ainge said. “We think [2015 second-round pick] Jordan Mickey has a bright future and [2015 first-round pick] Terry Rozier has a bright future and we’ve gotten calls from other teams about them that say, ‘Those guys aren’t getting an opportunity in Boston, we want to get those guys to come play for us.’ But we’re going to try to be patient with them as well, and other young guys.”

Here’s more from the Atlantic Division:

Brad Stevens said he doesn’t regret sitting the younger members of the team, with the coach adding that playing time needs to be earned in the NBA, Forsberg relays in the same piece. “No, because it’s earned. I mean, who are you sitting?” Stevens responded when asked if he had any regrets about his rotation. “This is professional basketball and I think that we had five good [guards/small forwards]. Marcus Smart is obviously young, but otherwise guys that have been in the league for a while and earned that time at those spots, when you start talking about the 1 through 3. … Usually we stayed with those five guys when we were healthy.“
The team also intends to scour the market for undervalued players, an approach that has served the team well in recent seasons, Forsberg also notes. “It really is an opportunity league and I think the last couple of years — the Jae Crowders of the world, Isaiah Thomas, guys that we’ve acquired via trade like Jonas Jerebko — they love the fact that they’re getting an opportunity to play and with that opportunity they’ve shined,” Ainge told reporters.
Maccabi Tel Aviv forward Dragan Bender told the Celtics that he would come to Boston for a workout after the Israeli season ends, Adam Himmelsbach of The Boston Globe relays (via Twitter). Bender is the No. 3 overall prospect according to Jonathan Givony of DraftExpress.

And-Ones: D-League, Blatt, Dragic, NBPA

May 24th, 2016 at 2:14pm CST by Luke Adams

Oshkosh officials are mulling the possibility bringing a D-League franchise to the city, according to a report from NewsTalk 1150 WHBY. The Bucks, in search of their own D-League team, would like to have an affiliate within two hours of Milwaukee, and put out a request for proposals — Oshkosh city officials are considering whether or not to move forward with the idea and submit a proposal to the NBA.

Here’s more from around the NBA:

Former Cavaliers head coach David Blatt doesn’t intend to take the 2016/17 season off, and is currently more likely to accept a head coaching job overseas than to take an assistant job in the NBA, as he tells Jeff Zillgitt of USA Today. “I don’t see myself not being a head coach somewhere but you never know,” Blatt said. “I’m going to coach next year. I’m not going to sit out. It’s not in my nature. I want to work,” he said. “I’ll be back somewhere. Could be anywhere.”
In the wake of Jeff Hornacek‘s offer from the Knicks, who are expected to formally hire him as their head coach soon, Ken Berger of CBSSports.com revisits Hornacek’s time in Phoenix and provides an interesting tidbit related to a former Suns player. According to Berger, Hornacek spoke to Goran Dragic and secured a commitment from the point guard, who said he’d re-sign with the Suns when his contract expired — days later, Phoenix traded him to the Heat.
The National Basketball Players Association has hired Jefferies, an investment banking firm, to advise the union during labor talks with the league, tweets Scott Soshnick of Bloomberg Sports. Jefferies will identify current and future revenue for the NBPA, per Soshnick.
Within his weekly Morning Tip feature, NBA.com’s David Aldridge explores the impact of the draft lottery results and takes an in-depth look at how teams approach head coaching searches.
A pair of ESPN.com articles profile two prospects projected to come off the board at the top of the draft, with David Thorpe examining Ben Simmons‘ potential, while Chad Ford and Kevin Pelton (Insider link) take a closer look at whether Dragan Bender has the potential to crack the top two picks.

Draft Notes: Sixers, Dunn, Bentil, Briscoe

May 22nd, 2016 at 8:58pm CST by Arthur Hill

Fresh off securing the No. 1 pick in next month’s draft, the Sixers won’t limit their options to LSU’s Ben Simmons and Duke’s Brandon Ingram, writes Marc J. Spears of The Undefeated. Philadelphia is planning workouts for California forward Jaylen Brown, Providence point guard Kris Dunn and Kentucky combo guard Jamal Murray, Spears reports. The Sixers may also offer invitations to Oklahoma’s Buddy Hield and Israel Maccabi Tel Aviv’s Dragan Bender. “The media has their darlings and that is perfectly fine,” Brown said of the attention surrounding Simmons and Ingram. “I’m just here to prove that I’m in the conversation with those two, if not better.” Brown also issued a challenge to the projected top two picks, saying, “Do they want to work out [against] me? I think that’s the question.”

There’s more draft-related news as Wednesday’s deadline for underclassmen to return to school approaches:

The results of Tuesday’s lottery may push Dunn out of the top five, according to Derek Bodner of USA Today. Bodner believes the best scenario for Dunn would have been for the Lakers to drop to No. 4 and ship their pick to the Sixers, who need help at point guard. If Simmons and Ingram are the first players selected, the next three teams — the Celtics, Suns and Wolves — all have established point guards on their roster.
Providence power forward Ben Bentil, who announced earlier today that he is staying in the draft, will work out for the Pacers Monday, tweets Adam Zagoria of SNY.tv. The sophomore will have a session in Orlando later this week.
Kentucky freshman Isaiah Briscoe has a workout scheduled this week for the Hawks, Zagoria tweets. Briscoe hasn’t decided whether to stay in the draft or return to school.
Briscoe will work out for the Wolves Monday, according to Darren Wolfson of 1500 ESPN Twin Cities (Twitter link). Joining Briscoe will be Wichita State’s Fred VanVleet, BYU’s Kyle Collinsworth, Florida’s Dorian Finney-Smith, Louisiana-Monroe’s Majok Deng and South Carolina’s Michael Carrera.
The Jazz believe in volume when it comes to workouts, writes Jody Genessy of The Deseret News. Utah hosted Oregon’s Tyler Dorsey, Indiana’s Yogi Ferrell, Finney-Smith, Wisconsin’s Nigel Hayes, Xavier’s Jalen Reynolds and Mississippi State’s Gavin Ware on Sunday, and expects to work out dozens more before draft day. “We’re trying to find players, not only possibly for the Jazz but also for the [D-League Salt Lake City] Stars,” said vice president of player personnel Walt Perrin. “Get to know as many people as possible.”

And-Ones: Bender, Anderson, Trimble, Hollins

May 20th, 2016 at 2:00pm CST by Arthur Hill

Dragan Bender’s buyout with Maccabi Tel Aviv is just $1.3MM, which shouldn’t be an obstacle for the team that drafts him, reports Jonathan Givony of The Vertical. Bender, who is projected as a top 10 pick, signed a seven-year contract with the team in 2014 that included a clause requiring a buyout that is twice the amount that NBA teams are permitted to offer. That means whoever drafts Bender will pay $650K to Maccabi Tel Aviv, and Bender will contribute the rest out of his rookie contract. Givony called the buyout figure “relatively small” for a player who is expected to be drafted so high.

There’s more news from around the basketball world:

Kings swingman James Anderson wants to leave the NBA and play in Europe, tweets international journalist David Pick. He mentions Barcelona, Real Madrid and Fenerbahce as possible destinations for Anderson, who opted out of his contract with Sacramento on Wednesday.
Maryland point guard Melo Trimble is getting close to a decision on whether to stay in the draft or return to school, writes Charles F. Gardner of The Journal Sentinel. Trimble, whose draft stock fell as his production slipped during the latter part of his sophomore season, said he has benefited from the NBA’s new rule allowing underclassmen to pull out of the draft by May 25th if they don’t hire agents. After working out for the Bucks on Wednesday, Trimble said he is “leaning toward” his final decision. “At this workout I really found my confidence, just out there playing, being myself,” he said. “And to see [Bucks coach] Jason Kidd on the sideline was just a morale booster. You want to show what you can do best.”
The Nets stand to save some money if Lionel Hollins becomes an assistant coach with the Rockets, according to NetsDaily (Twitter link). Hollins is being considered as an assistant if the Rockets hire Stephen Silas as their head coach, and whatever Houston pays Hollins would lessen the amount that Brooklyn still owes him.
Nando De Colo, who played two seasons with the Spurs and Raptors, is free to return to the NBA next season, writes Nikos Varlas of Eurohoops. The French star, who led CSKA Moscow to the Euroleague Final, will become a free agent this summer. “We will talk with Nando de Colo after the end of the season,” said team president Andrey Vatutin. “He knows how much we want to keep him in Europe and in Moscow and we will do what we must. Beyond that the point is 100% what he thinks and what feels more like a challenge. The answer to this question belongs to the player.”

Western Notes: Smith, Lakers, Kings

May 16th, 2016 at 10:44pm CST by ChrisCrouse

The Rockets have informed TNT analyst Kenny Smith that he will not be the next coach of the team, citing a need for a head coach with experience, a source tells Calvin Walkins of ESPN.com. Houston was impressed with Smith and the team believes he will become a head coach in the future, Walkins adds. “The Rockets have a philosophy of what they think their coach should be,” Smith said on TNT’s pregame show. “But right now I’m here, and it looks like I’m going to be here.”

Here’s more from the Western Conference:

Lakers GM Mitch Kupchak indicated that “nobody’s off limits” in a trade, writes Mark Medina of the Los Angeles Daily News. “You have to take phone calls. If that does happen, that’s a good thing,” Kupchak said. “That means you have players that other teams want.”
The Lakers are expected to make their first round pick available should they end up with the No. 3 overall pick, multiple sources tell Chad Ford of ESPN.com. If they land the No. 3 selection and they do not trade it away, Dragan Bender is the optimal pick for Los Angeles, Ford opines.
Kings president of basketball operations Vlade Divac is high on Buddy Hield and he could be the selection should the Kings move up in the draft lottery, Ford writes in the same piece. If they don’t move up in the lottery, Ford expects the team to seek out a trade, as the franchise is looking to win now.
The Suns are most likely to pick Bender provided they don’t end up with a top-2 pick, Ford argues in the same piece. Phoenix has a 24.5% chance at landing a top-2 pick and a 82.8% chance at landing a top-5 selection.

Prospect Profile: Dragan Bender (Part Two)

May 14th, 2016 at 4:19pm CST by Eddie Scarito

PROJECTED DRAFT RANGE: Bender is a likely top five pick, with Jonathan Givony of DraftExpress slotting him No. 3 overall and Chad Ford of ESPN.com ranking him fifth on his big board. The 18-year-old is the second best power forward in the draft after Ben Simmons, according to Ford (Insider subscription required), though he is likely to take far longer to bear fruit at the NBA-level than the LSU freshman. Bender is going to face some competition from Henry Ellenson (Marquette) and Marquese Chriss (Washington) to be the second four selected in the draft lottery, though neither of those big men have quite as high an upside as the young Croatian.

RISE/FALL: While Bender is likely to face some potentially unfair comparisons to Knicks big man Kristaps Porzingis, the success the Latvian enjoyed in New York this past season should prevent Bender from slipping too far in the draft lottery. With the NBA moving further away from the role of the traditional big man each passing season, Bender’s combination of size and skill makes him a rather desirable commodity among teams.

It wasn’t surprising in the least that Bender chose to skip this week’s NBA Draft combine in Chicago, as most of the projected top five selections generally avoid the risk of a poor showing at the event. The big man wasn’t likely to play his way into the discussion of the No. 1 overall pick this week, so it was wise to hold off on giving the majority of NBA executives their first in-person look at his skills. Bender should shine in the highly controlled settings his individual showcases will take place in, and cultivating an air of mystery can only serve to aid his cause.

The spot where Bender will ultimately be selected at will come into greater focus after the results of Tuesday’s draft lottery are announced. While he is certainly an intriguing player, a number of teams picking in the top 10 have more pressing needs and may lack the necessary patience to take on a project like Bender, who is almost assuredly going to spend more time in the D-League than on the NBA hardwood in 2016/17. I can see him going as high as No.3 overall and find it difficult to envision a scenario where he falls past the seventh selection.

FIT: While there aren’t many teams in the league that couldn’t use a versatile big man like Bender, the most likely landing spot for him will be with the Suns. Phoenix desperately needs to find a mobile power forward who can stretch the floor on offense and are a franchise that can afford to exercise patience with Bender. The Suns have an 11.9% chance at snagging the top pick this June, but the more likely outcome is that the franchise will end up in the No. 3 to No. 5 range, which is the perfect spot to pounce on Bender. The other teams potentially drafting ahead of the Suns are the Sixers, Lakers and Celtics, none of whom seem like a logical fit for Bender given the development time he will require. My prediction, barring any unforeseen event, is that Bender ends up in Arizona with the Suns.

FINAL TAKE: The success rate in the NBA for young international players taken in the lottery hasn’t been all that outstanding traditionally, which makes gambling a top five pick on Bender a risky proposition. But the success of Porzingis and the ever-improving competition level overseas lend some hope that Bender can duplicate the Knicks’ rookie’s success this season. The increasing demand for perimeter-oriented big men in the NBA certainly makes Bender an intriguing and valuable commodity, though he will require ample time in the gym, weight room and D-League before he is likely to reward the franchise that selects him.

(For Part One of Bender’s prospect profile, click here.)

Prospect Profile: Dragan Bender (Part One)

May 14th, 2016 at 1:35pm CST by Eddie Scarito

OVERVIEW: Dragan Bender is the youngest player entering the 2016 NBA Draft, having just turned 18 in November. But despite his youth, the big man had to grow up fast after signing a seven-year deal with the Israeli club Maccabi Tel Aviv at the age of 16. Bender’s playing experience includes participating in the under 16 European Championships in 2012 and playing professionally in the Croatian league when he was just 15-years-old.

While Bender has a wealth of potential, my biggest concern regarding his development is the inevitable comparisons to Knicks 2015 lottery pick Kristaps Porzingis that will be bandied about. Many teams and fans around the league will likely look to Porzingis’ solid rookie campaign and use that as the benchmark for what Bender should provide when he enters the NBA. Such lofty expectations may place undue pressure on the young big man and could serve to stifle his natural progression as a player. Bender is in no way as polished as Porzingis was when he entered the league, and it will almost certainly take him a few seasons to become a productive player in the NBA.

STATS: In 35 games Bender averaged 4.3 points, 2.3 rebounds and and o.6 assists in 12.2 minutes per outing. His slash line on the year was .426/.368/.719.

STRENGTHS: Thanks to the NBA’s growing obsession with stretch-fours, Bender’s combination of size and skill will certainly make him a desirable commodity this June. His measurements are impressive, with Bender standing a shade over seven-feet, owning a 7’2″ wingspan and a ridiculous standing reach of 9’3″. Bender isn’t a freak athletically, but he is extremely agile and has demonstrated solid footwork for such a young player. He is quick enough to guard opponents on the perimeter and is a hard-nosed player who doesn’t shy away from contact and competition. Traits that will serve him well once he hits the NBA hardwood.

Bender has worked hard to improve his outside shooting since turning pro, and while his form still needs refining, he appears to be well on his way to having a solid outside game. He is a versatile player who doesn’t need to score to have an impact on a contest, using his high basketball IQ and solid passing skills to help his team be successful. While he will likely be deployed at power forward, or perhaps even center if he bulks up, he is talented enough to play point-forward and facilitate an offense from the high-post.

WEAKNESSES: As with most young big men, Bender’s biggest drawback is his slender frame. While he is certainly no pushover, weighing in at around 225 pounds won’t help him survive the nightly abuse he is sure to receive once he enters the NBA paint area. Bender doesn’t appear to be one to shy away from physical play, which certainly serves to illustrate his competitive nature, but he isn’t nearly strong enough to be effective on a consistent basis versus bigger, stronger and older NBA players. The other concern reagrding Bender is that despite his wide range of skills, there isn’t one aspect of his overall game that can be considered elite at this juncture. There will be a considerable onus on whomever is coaching Bender to properly utilize his talents, which could be difficult until the player matures enough physically to play inside on a regular basis.

(For Part Two of our Dragan Bender Prospect Profile, click here.)

Draft Notes: Lee, English, Bender

May 11th, 2016 at 9:27pm CST by Eddie Scarito

Kentucky junior power forward Marcus Lee is likely to remain in this year’s NBA Draft, according to coach John Calipari, Adam Zagoria of SNY.tv relays. “Marcus really wants to do this, and my guess is that he’ll keep his name in the draft because this is what he wants to do,” Calipari told reporters. “And I just told him to go up there [to the NBA draft combine] and do your thing and show the athletic player that you are. But he’s also worked out. We’ve had those guys work out with teams before the combine so two or three teams could evaluate them, talk to them, and Marcus went to the combine.” Lee is the No. 29 junior overall, according to Jonathan Givony of DraftExpress.

When asked whether the same held true for freshman point guard Isaiah Briscoe, the coach noted that much depended on how well Briscoe shot the ball during his workouts, Zagoria adds. “Don’t know yet,” Calipari said of Briscoe’s plans. “He’s worked out with a few teams. Did a pretty good job. You know, with Isaiah, the whole thing comes back to just shooting the ball. Because they know the other skills that he has translates, including physically and defensively and rebounding. It all translates, so he’s just got to be a more consistent shooter. And if you’re watching the NBA, if you choose to do that, what you’re finding out is that now there is a premium on shooting.”

Here are the latest news and notes regarding the 2016 NBA Draft, which will be held on June 23rd at the Barclays Center in Brooklyn, New York:

Former Iona combo guard A.J. English has workouts scheduled for later this month with the Pistons, Mavericks, Lakers and Clippers, Josh Thomson of The Journal News relays.
Purdue senior center A.J. Hammons has withdrawn from this week’s NBA draft combine, Givony reports (via Twitter). The big man declined to participate in the five-on-five portion of the event, deciding instead to train in Houston, the scribe notes.
Croatian forward Dragan Bender is the best international player in this year’s draft, but his frame isn’t NBA-ready yet, and he will need to improve his outside shooting before he will be able to make an impact in the league, Givony notes in his profile of the 18-year-old. “To become NBA-ready I need to improve all the things in my game and try to put them on a higher level, try to put them on an NBA level,” Bender said. “It’s really hard to achieve those levels, but I’m really working hard to do it. Those little things are separating me from those players playing in the NBA.” Bender is slotted third overall in Givony’s rankings.
The Pacers have a workout scheduled with Indiana junior small forward Troy Williams, Candace Buckner of The Indianapolis Star relays (via Twitter).

Draft Rumors: Zizic, Baldwin, Greene, Wizards

April 18th, 2016 at 9:47pm CST by Dana Gauruder

Croatian center Ante Zizic, who is under contract with Cibona Zagreb, is open to going the draft-and-stash route, according to international journalist David Pick (Twitter links). The 19-year-old, 6’11” Zizic is considered a first-round talent. He’s ranked No. 26 by DraftExpress’ Jonathan Givony and No. 22 on ESPN Insider Chad Ford’s Big Board. Several international scouts have told Ford that Zizic, the fourth-ranked center, could be a steal in this year’s draft because of his low-post game, rebounding and toughness. Zizic declared for the draft earlier this month, but with his contract tying him to Cibona for another year, it’s either become a draft-and-stash pick or pull out of the draft by June 13th, Pick notes.

In other developments regarding the June 23rd draft:

Forwards Ben Simmons and Brandon Ingram are the top two picks in ESPN Insider Chad Ford’s latest mock draft. Ford projects that the Sixers, who have the best odds of gaining the No. 1 selection, will grab Simmons because of the higher upside he has compared to Ingram, with the Lakers then taking the Duke freshman. Point guard Jamal Murray (Celtics) and power forwards Dragan Bender (Suns) and Henry Ellenson (Timberwolves) round out Ford’s top five.
Vanderbilt point guard Wade Baldwin has signed with Priority Sports, tweets ESPN’s Jeff Goodman. Baldwin was linked earlier this month to Priority Sports as his potential representative, according to a tweet from Pick. The 6’3” Baldwin is currently ranked No. 16 by Givony, while Ford pegs him at No. 23.
Kansas swingman Brannen Greene has signed with Sam Goldfeder of Excel, Goodman reports in a separate tweet. Greene barely cracks the Top 100 list by Givony at No. 99, while Ford doesn’t list him on his Big Board.
UNLV’s Derrick Jones is officially staying in the draft and has signed with Aaron Turner, Goodman reported in another tweet. The 6’6” small forward is not ranked in the Top 100 by either Givony or Ford.
The Wizards do not plan to trade into the draft despite the strong possibility they will lose their first-rounder, writes Jorge Castillo of the Washington Post. Washington sent a top-nine protected pick to the Suns in the deadline deal for power forward Markieff Morris. Unless the Wizards get a top-three selection via the lottery, they’ll lose the pick. Team president Ernie Grunfeld told Castillo and other media members he’s not keen on making a draft-related deal. “We look at Markieff as being our draft pick, and I don’t think we’ll get a player where we’d be drafting that can do the kind of things that he can do, and be under contract for three years like that, and still be young but proven,” Grunfeld said.