It's an interesting exercise to compare Mikal's rookie season as a 22-year old to Dragan Bender's 2nd season as a 21 year old. Pretty statistically similar.
Then you watch them both and realize one is an NBA player and the other isn’t.
Couldn't agree more. Chriss is twice the player Bender is, hence why he's averaging 2 minutes to Bender's 1. I still think we traded the wrong prospect.
Mikal looks like a competent rookie, Bender doesn't look like he should be on an nba floor. He has shown that he can do nothing well. Cant shoot, can't drive, can't rebound, can't really play defense.
It's an interesting exercise to compare Mikal's rookie season as a 22-year old to Dragan Bender's 2nd season as a 21 year old. Pretty statistically similar.
If you just look at points, assists, and 3pt %. Bridges is at 2 steals per 36...Bender was at .4
Neither do a whole lot offensively outside of an occasional spot up 3, but Bridges does a lot defensively. Bender didn’t really do anything on offense or defense. A more interesting exercise is to see that Bridges is starting as a rookie and Bender can’t get off the bench in year 3.
It's an interesting exercise to compare Mikal's rookie season as a 22-year old to Dragan Bender's 2nd season as a 21 year old. Pretty statistically similar.
Then you watch them both and realize one is an NBA player and the other isn’t.
Couldn't agree more. Chriss is twice the player Bender is, hence why he's averaging 2 minutes to Bender's 1. I still think we traded the wrong prospect.
Mikal looks like a competent rookie, Bender doesn't look like he should be on an nba floor. He has shown that he can do nothing well. Cant shoot, can't drive, can't rebound, can't really play defense.
Chriss actually did things on the court. Bender never did anything. Although, a lot of things Chriss did were bad, haha. Neither were good picks, but I agree that Chriss was better.
I certainly don't think trading Chriss over Bender was the wrong move. In reality, neither are players (yet) and weren't going to help us but Chriss needed to be moved because of his attitude. Still, it sucks we got nothing from either and the fact we run SFs at PF and signed Acy to get minutes up front says everything about Bender's prospects.
Folks have to let go of Chriss in the same way I need to let go of Ulis. Even if what we now have is worse, these guys were bad, and it isn't a bad thing that we let them go.
What we have now, at least those that actually play, are not worse than Chriss and Ulis. I’m much happier playing guys like Oubre and Melton. Chriss and Ulis were both terrible last year.
I disagree that Bender can't shoot. He was 38% from 3 for like 90% of the season last year and it dropped 2 percentage points at the tail end because of a slump from outside. All games where he played with a shitty line-up, no Booker, and Josh Jackson getting to do whatever he wanted all game long. Remember that he was only 20 last year. We judge him harshly because he was a #4 pick and let us down. But if he was some guy we just signed as a UDFA we'd be pulling for him like we do all the other underdogs. It is what it is for him at this point but I strongly feel that a team with a good player development staff will turn him into a solid NBA player.
It's an interesting exercise to compare Mikal's rookie season as a 22-year old to Dragan Bender's 2nd season as a 21 year old. Pretty statistically similar.
Then you watch them both and realize one is an NBA player and the other isn’t.
Couldn't agree more. Chriss is twice the player Bender is, hence why he's averaging 2 minutes to Bender's 1. I still think we traded the wrong prospect.
Mikal looks like a competent rookie, Bender doesn't look like he should be on an nba floor. He has shown that he can do nothing well. Cant shoot, can't drive, can't rebound, can't really play defense.
Chriss actually did things on the court. Bender never did anything. Although, a lot of things Chriss did were bad, haha. Neither were good picks, but I agree that Chriss was better.
Saying which is better, cow pies or dog doo doo, isn't a very good use of one's time.
"Too little, too late, too unbothered."
- Phoenix Suns 2023-2024 season motto.
Bender has some tools. Good IQ, decent spot up shooter. He just never did anything. He didn’t make many mistakes, but he just didn’t do anything. He needed to be in Europe or the G league where he was asked to shoulder some responsibility and develop into an actual player. I don’t have anything against the guy. He should go to Europe and play for a few seasons.
I certainly don't think trading Chriss over Bender was the wrong move. In reality, neither are players (yet) and weren't going to help us but Chriss needed to be moved because of his attitude. Still, it sucks we got nothing from either and the fact we run SFs at PF and signed Acy to get minutes up front says everything about Bender's prospects.
We got our starting PG for Chriss (and Knight).
"Too little, too late, too unbothered."
- Phoenix Suns 2023-2024 season motto.
I was referring more to on-court production and what was expected out of them as 4th and 8th picks in the draft. But also consider we gave up Bogdan Bogdanovic for Chriss.
ShelC wrote:I was referring more to on-court production and what was expected out of them as 4th and 8th picks in the draft. But also consider we gave up Bogdan Bogdanovic for Chriss.
Oof. Yeah, that really hurt. He’s playing really well and he would have been a great backup SG for Book.
"Too little, too late, too unbothered."
- Phoenix Suns 2023-2024 season motto.
I was bummed when we drafted Okobo over Melton at the time, glad to have acquired him. Lots of people wanted Marcus Smart, if we're patient, we may well just be rewarded with our own version of him.
I was bummed when we drafted Okobo over Melton at the time, glad to have acquired him. Lots of people wanted Marcus Smart, if we're patient, we may well just be rewarded with our own version of him.
I was bummed when we drafted Okobo over Melton at the time, glad to have acquired him. Lots of people wanted Marcus Smart, if we're patient, we may well just be rewarded with our own version of him.
I was bummed when we drafted Okobo over Melton at the time, glad to have acquired him. Lots of people wanted Marcus Smart, if we're patient, we may well just be rewarded with our own version of him.
Hopefully one with better shot selection
IOW, a smart Smart.
That doesn't get hurt. We want to avoid a smart Smart smart.
"Too little, too late, too unbothered."
- Phoenix Suns 2023-2024 season motto.
I was bummed when we drafted Okobo over Melton at the time, glad to have acquired him. Lots of people wanted Marcus Smart, if we're patient, we may well just be rewarded with our own version of him.
Hopefully one with better shot selection
IOW, a smart Smart.
That doesn't get hurt. We want to avoid a smart Smart smart.