How Flip Saunders Can Reboot Anthony Bennett's NBA Future
In a frenzy of NBA offseason excitement, Minnesota Timberwolves forward Anthony Bennett has become somewhat of a forgotten man.
It was just 16 short months ago when all eyes were on Bennett, the first overall selection of the 2013 NBA draft.
In that time, Bennett has moved from Las Vegas to Cleveland and then to Minneapolis. He's had to rehab from shoulder surgery, switch positions, endure a trade and deal with critics who've called him the worst No. 1 pick of the past 20 years.
Following a summer trade from the Cavaliers to the Timberwolves, Bennett wasn't even the second- or third-best player in the deal. Kevin Love, Andrew Wiggins and Thaddeus Young headlined the blockbuster three-team swap, with Bennett's name casually thrown in.
Clearly, a fresh start was needed.
With the Timberwolves and president of basketball operations/head coach Flip Saunders, that's precisely what Bennett will get.
Here's how Saunders can turn around the young forward's future and get Bennett back on his very promising track.
Rookie Problems
A lot of Bennett's struggles on the court as a rookie were physical.
Bennett was noticeably out of shape during training camp with the Cavaliers. During the team's annual Wine and Gold Scrimmage, Bennett often grasped at his sides and remained bent over during breaks, even after just a few times up and down the court.
It was obvious he wasn't in good playing condition.
Much of this was out of his control, however.
Bennett was still recovering from offseason shoulder surgery to fix a torn labrum. He suffered from sleep apnea and asthma. Despite playing at around 240 pounds while at UNLV, Bennett tipped the scales upwards of 260 pounds during training camp.
While Bennett had to fight to get back in shape, he faced a new battle on the court: playing in a Mike Brown offense.
Brown's offense was incredibly stagnant last season. Even with players like Kyrie Irving, Dion Waiters and Luol Deng, the Cavs finished 22nd in both scoring and offensive rating under Brown.
Brown rarely drew up a play for Bennett or worked to utilize his strengths as an athletic big. Instead, Bennett was often forced to hang out around the three-point line, where he struggled at a 24.5 percent clip.
Bennett's weight effected his play. His poor play effected his confidence. His low confidence led to passiveness on the court and played a major role in his disappointing season.
"I’m just thinking too much,'' Bennett told Mary Schmitt Boyer of The Plain Dealer in Nov. 2013. "That’s what it is right now. I try not to mess up. There’s a lot of plays, a lot of things thrown at me. It’s not the same as college. One mistake is kind of crucial.''
Asked why he's overthinking, Bennett told Boyer, "I really don’t know. If I had an idea, I’d change it. I just have no idea.''
Nothing, as it seemed, could go right for Bennett.
Even after hitting a stretch of good play in early February, Brown mysteriously benched Bennett for long stretches, killing what progress he had made. A left-knee injury in early March would all but end his miserable rookie year.
Offseason Transformation
Since the end of April, Bennett has been on a mission to silence critics and regain his promise as a No. 1 pick.
He's had his tonsils and adenoids removed, underwent LASIK eye surgery and dropped 10 pounds thanks to a grueling training regimen.
Bennett spent three weeks training with Frank Matrisciano, known for his work with NBA players as well as Navy SEALs. Phil Ervin of Fox Sports North tells us more:
"Thanks to hours spent traversing the Santa Monica Stairs with medicine balls in tow, sprints on the beach with 50-pound weights on his back or pails full of sand in his hands, climbing hills of sand while Matrisciano tried to hold him back with a harness and performing other unconventional workouts, Bennett dropped about 10 pounds and weighs 243, he said.
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The work clearly paid off for Bennett, as he showed during the team's media day.
With many of the ailments he faced a season ago now healed, will Bennett finally find success in the NBA?
Saunders' Plan for Bennett
While Wiggins may have headlined the trade for Love, it was certainly no accident that Minnesota ended up with Bennett as well.
Saunders specifically brought Bennett on board because of his belief in the 21-year-old's abilities.
"He's like a canvas that hasn't been painted yet," Saunders said, via Ervin. "I like his commitment. He's a willing learner, and he's one of those guys that is going to continue to get better and better with us every day. He does do a lot of things some other guys can't do."
Saunders is absolutely right.
For all the knocks on Bennett, there were quite a few positives as well.
Bennett may be a tad undersized for a power forward at 6'8" but has an impressive 7'1" wingspan. A good athlete when healthy, Bennett is capable of running the floor, spotting up or throwing down dunks like this:
If Saunders truly wants to maximize Bennett's potential, he'll have the Wolves get out and run as much as possible.
Ball movement is also key.
Playing for David Blatt during the summer league in a system that emphasized ball movement, Bennett thrived. In four games, Bennett put up 13.3 points and 7.8 rebounds while helping lead the Cavaliers to a 3-1 record, per NBA.com.
Saunders no doubt studied these games very carefully and has already come up with an offensive guideline for Bennett.
While Bennett has the smooth stroke of a three-point shooter, his range just simply isn't there yet. Bennett will be at his best in the open court, in transition and off cuts to the basket.
Forcing him to shoot a large quantity of three-pointers right now would be a step back in Bennett's development.
Role with Team
It was very clear that Bennett's confidence was quite low all throughout last year.
The pressure was excruciating. Not only was he an unexpected first-overall pick, but Bennett was supposed to be a major piece of the Cavs' return to the postseason.
As Bennett's stats plummeted, so too did his confidence and the Cavaliers' record.
Now with the Timberwolves, expectations have been tapered.
Minnesota isn't expected to make the playoffs. Bennett isn't expected to become a savior in the Twin Cities. Actually, Saunders isn't even projecting Bennett to earn a starting spot right away.
"He’s an NBA player. He’s a guy that’s going to be a rotation-type player," Saunders told reporters.
Not only can Bennett have the luxury of coming off the bench, but he'll have a great role model to study ahead of him in Young. All eyes will be on Wiggins, and plenty of easy baskets should come this season off Ricky Rubio's pinpoint passes.
For Bennett, few situations could be better for him to build back his confidence.
While it may not have been the career path be originally envisioned, Bennett is in a good place now.
Thanks to a change of scenery, an improved physique and the tutelage of coach Saunders, Bennett can now successfully resume his journey toward becoming an NBA star.
Greg Swartz has covered the NBA for Bleacher Report since 2010. Connect with him on Twitter for more basketball news and conversation.
All stats provided by Basketball-Reference.com unless otherwise noted.
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