Season Finale: Suns @ Kings 4-11-17

[StreetTruckinTitan]

I'll grant you, he shot horribly, but I thought he looked incredibly promising. Took it to the bucket with authority a couple times, played good defense, phenomenal passing. He's got a ways to go before he's a consistently productive nba player, but yesterday's game was FAR from evidence to write him off.

He does look promising. You can tell the light is on and he will only get better with experience unlike Len who continues to regress after 4 years. Bender, if he can pack some weight and muscle on over the summer might have a chance to move to the center position at some point. We'll have to see what we have between Williams, Chandler and Bender going forward and if there is a need to draft another center this year.

 

[pokerface]

He does look promising. You can tell the light is on and he will only get better with experience unlike Len who continues to regress after 4 years. Bender, if he can pack some weight and muscle on over the summer might have a chance to move to the center position at point. We'll have to see what we have between Williams, Chandler and Bender going forward and if there is a need to draft another center this year.

That's a good point that is often overlooked that Bender may very well be the center of the future. We still have Chandler so there is no rush for Bender to play C and Williams can play some center. Eventually though Bender could be our starting center.


So we can ship Len out anytime. He's not that needed.

 

[Mainstreet]

He does look promising. You can tell the light is on and he will only get better with experience unlike Len who continues to regress after 4 years. Bender, if he can pack some weight and muscle on over the summer might have a chance to move to the center position at point. We'll have to see what we have between Williams, Chandler and Bender going forward and if there is a need to draft another center this year.

I like what I have seen of Bender but he definitely needs to get stronger so he can play inside more. My guess is the Suns wanted him taking those 3 point shots but I like the idea letting him work inside out and take more mid-range shots. Once he gets comfortable, the 3 point shot should come. Perhaps the Suns wanted him to play outside this season to protect his body which is still developing. Also I think stamina has been an issue since he was coming back from injury.

 

[Yuma]

To me Bender takes it to the rack with more authority than Len, already in just his first season, let alone after he gets more muscular. Bender also does not struggle to get his shot off against the defense. Len regularly has a guy right up on him and he uses his head to push the defender to get enough space to shoot. A 7 footer should not struggle as much as he does to get his shot off.

 

[Finito]

What is Bender 19?

To me he looks like a great prospect he handles the ball and passes very well for a guy his size. Say what you want but he's not timid at all. His shot will come with time. By all accounts he's very smart and a hard worker in the gym.

 

[pokerface]

What is Bender 19?

To me he looks like a great prospect he handles the ball and passes very well for a guy his size. Say what you want but he's not timid at all. His shot will come with time. By all accounts he's very smart and a hard worker in the gym.

He doesn't look timid just his body isn't capable of what his mind wants to do. There are little things he does though that looks promising.

 

[CardsSunsDbacks]

Bender will be just fine. I feel like people are judging him as a SF prospect and if that is the case I could understand the frustration. However what you are seeing is a PF/C prospect that is being forced to play more on the perimeter due to his lack weight/strength. That is far and away the biggest issue that Bender has at this point as even SFs seem to push him around. As for his shooting it isn't bad or at least not nearly as bad as it has looked since he came back from his long injury layoff and I suspect it will be very good within the next couple years.

So I implore you guys to imagine Bender as a Center prospect. Think of his handles, passing, movement and even his ability to shoot and all of that is a guy that is guarding the other teams center. Bender is going to be a very good player, maybe not great or a superstar, but a very good player none the less.

 

[3rdside]

Bender will be just fine. I feel like people are judging him as a SF prospect and if that is the case I could understand the frustration. However what you are seeing is a PF/C prospect that is being forced to play more on the perimeter due to his lack weight/strength. That is far and away the biggest issue that Bender has at this point as even SFs seem to push him around. As for his shooting it isn't bad or at least not nearly as bad as it has looked since he came back from his long injury layoff and I suspect it will be very good within the next couple years.

So I implore you guys to imagine Bender as a Center prospect. Think of his handles, passing, movement and even his ability to shoot and all of that is a guy that is guarding the other teams center. Bender is going to be a very good player, maybe not great or a superstar, but a very good player none the less.

I'm sorry but I can't go past his shooting - if he can't shoot he's most likely a bench warming defender at best - and statistically there's nothing to suggest he can other than good mechanics.

Let's see him improve from being an awful shooter to just average before making any proclamations on this guy.

 

[leclerc]

His shooting percentage has been horrible but his shot looks good so I think he'll be just fine. The world is his oyster. Got high hopes for him and Chriss. Ulis is so good already. Ulis only needs shooting and muscle.

 

[3rdside]

His shooting percentage has been horrible but his shot looks good so I think he'll be just fine. The world is his oyster. Got high hopes for him and Chriss. Ulis is so good already. Ulis only needs shooting and muscle.

Don't believe in science eh leclerc, maybe there's a spot for you in the Republican party?!

JK but you get my point.

 

[ColdPickleNachos]

Don't believe in science eh leclerc, maybe there's a spot for you in the Republican party?!

JK but you get my point.

Bad science is arguably more dangerous than the non-belief in science. Saying you like Bender despite the statistics isn't ignoring science, it's telling someone that global warming can still exist despite the fact that it was colder than normal outside last month!

 

[3rdside]

Bad science is arguably more dangerous than the non-belief in science. Saying you like Bender despite the statistics isn't ignoring science, it's telling someone that global warming can still exist despite the fact that it was colder than normal outside last month!

Yeah maybe but to say bender will be fine is patently false - the statistics are so heavily against him at this point it's a brave man who suggests otherwise. Just because he looks good is no guarantee of anything.

 

[SirStefan32]

He is a teenager. He was hurt half the season. Let's not write him off just yet.

 

[Cheesebeef]

Can't write off Bender yet. He gets until year 3 before that. I mean, if he's a complete disaster next year, there's room to talk, but now is a little early

 

[CardsSunsDbacks]

I'm sorry but I can't go past his shooting - if he can't shoot he's most likely a bench warming defender at best - and statistically there's nothing to suggest he can other than good mechanics.

Let's see him improve from being an awful shooter to just average before making any proclamations on this guy.

And I say he can shoot right now. You are letting recency bias cloud your judgement IMO. Bender was a solid shooter prior to the injury and then shot terribly in the 5 games to end the season. I think you are seeing that terrible stretch of shooting and just assuming that it is where Bender is at as a shooter and that is absolutely false.

 

[3rdside]

And I say he can shoot right now. You are letting recency bias cloud your judgement IMO. Bender was a solid shooter prior to the injury and then shot terribly in the 5 games to end the season. I think you are seeing that terrible stretch of shooting and just assuming that it is where Bender is at as a shooter and that is absolutely false.

I haven't ruled him out but season .277% on threes is garbage how ever you want to look at it but concede he was better than that pre-injury.

I'm not saying he's a bust I'm just saying that to rule him not one at this stage is way too premature.

 

[SirStefan32]

Yeah, he was shooting over 30% from 3 before the injury, if I remember correctly. It's not uncommon to struggle a bit when you come back. His shots were fine, just short. I remember him missing a few threes, then taking one step and shooting from there, and he made that shot. He's deadly from 15-16 feet too.

 

[CardsSunsDbacks]

I haven't ruled him out but season .277% on threes is garbage how ever you want to look at it but concede he was better than that pre-injury.

I'm not saying he's a bust I'm just saying that to rule him not one at this stage is way too premature.

That 27% was largely driven down by the last 5 games. He was shooting nearly 33% from 3 prior to his injury which is halfway decent. He was shooting terrible in the last 5 games, but that is because he didn't have his legs back under him yet. I have seen this same situation a hundred times in the NBA. Player is shooting decently, gets injured and misses time, comes back not in game shape and shoots terribly. Then after a few weeks getting back into things they start to get fully conditioned again and start making shots at a higher percentage again.

 

[CardsSunsDbacks]

This.

 

[3rdside]

That 27% was largely driven down by the last 5 games. He was shooting nearly 33% from 3 prior to his injury which is halfway decent. He was shooting terrible in the last 5 games, but that is because he didn't have his legs back under him yet. I have seen this same situation a hundred times in the NBA. Player is shooting decently, gets injured and misses time, comes back not in game shape and shoots terribly. Then after a few weeks getting back into things they start to get fully conditioned again and start making shots at a higher percentage again.

.321% to be exact but yeah I hear you.

I'm neutral as I've said but more positive having broken it down pre and post injury