Anthony Bennett Trade Rumors: Latest Buzz, Speculation Surrounding T-Wolves PF

Tyler ConwayJun 22, 2015

Anthony Bennett hoped a trade to the Minnesota Timberwolves would allow him to unearth the potential that made him a No. 1 pick in 2013. A year later, it appears the Timberwolves are ready to give up on their young power forward.

Continue for updates.

Wolves Put Bennett on Trade Block

Monday, June 22

ESPN's Marc Stein reported that Minnesota has been floating Bennett's name in trade talks in preparation for Thursday's draft. The report does not indicate a compensatory expectation from the Timberwolves' perspective, though it'd be a surprise to see them get anything of substance.

Bennett, 22, averaged 5.2 points and 3.8 rebounds in 57 games last season for Minnesota. While it was an improvement over his oft-derided rookie season in Cleveland, Bennett has yet to show any real translatable NBA skills.

He's shooting 39.3 percent for his career, an abysmal rate for a big man, and remains a slow, inattentive defender. Opposing players shot 6.5 percent better than their average with Bennett defending them during the regular season, per SportVU data provided by the NBA. His lack of lateral quickness and below-average size (6'8") have made it difficult for him to develop into a solid defender in the post or against pick-and-rolls.

Danny Moloshok/Associated Press

"(Bennett) has to create an identity for himself," Wolves coach Flip Saunders told reporters in January. "Is he going to be a rebounder? A defender? A spot-up shooter?"

Although it's been only two seasons, Bennett is the only No. 1 overall pick since the ABA-NBA merger to have a negative win shares total, per Basketball-Reference.com. Whatever team winds up with Bennett will have an important decision to make before he ever plays a game for the franchise, as a decision has to be made about his team option for 2016-17 in October.

With the season carrying a cap charge of more than $7 million, it would seem highly unlikely any team would pick that deal up. But declining that option allows a player to become an unrestricted free agent, which could backfire if Bennett begins to show promise.

Either way, it's a difficult trek to navigate for a player who has shown next to nothing in two NBA seasons.

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