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A Breakdown Of Dragan Bender, Past And Future

By Zachary Spiecker

MILWAUKEE, WI - JANUARY 22: Dragan Bender #35 of the Phoenix Suns shoots the ball against the Milwaukee Bucks on January 22, 2018 at the BMO Harris Bradley Center in Milwaukee, Wisconsin. NOTE TO USER: User expressly acknowledges and agrees that, by downloading and or using this Photograph, user is consenting to the terms and conditions of the Getty Images License Agreement. Mandatory Copyright Notice: Copyright 2018 NBAE (Photo by Gary Dineen/NBAE via Getty Images)
MILWAUKEE, WI - JANUARY 22: Dragan Bender #35 of the Phoenix Suns shoots the ball against the Milwaukee Bucks on January 22, 2018 at the BMO Harris Bradley Center in Milwaukee, Wisconsin. NOTE TO USER: User expressly acknowledges and agrees that, by downloading and or using this Photograph, user is consenting to the terms and conditions of the Getty Images License Agreement. Mandatory Copyright Notice: Copyright 2018 NBAE (Photo by Gary Dineen/NBAE via Getty Images) /
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Dragan Bender has been labeled a bust since day one. Considered a project since draft day, Bender has become victim to an impatient league. With numerous flashes of solid play and an abundance of potential to go along with it, Bender has the capability to become, and be, a quality NBA player.

Before the Suns made the decision to draft Dragan Bender in 2016, he was praised for a unique skill-set that the NBA hadn’t seen played at a high level before. A combination of passing and shooting from a man over 7 feet tall was more than enough for the Suns to make Bender their pick at fourth overall.

Since then, the narrative surrounding Dragan Bender has been absurdly negative. Despite numerous draft pundits stating that Bender would be a project, his shortcomings throughout his first 97 games have lead many to believe that he was not the right choice. No, he hasn’t been good but he’s shown enough to give fans hope, and the Suns have time to be patient.

How to unleash Bender in the future:

Bender’s future on the Suns largely has to do with his ability to bulk up. He’s 7’1″ but only weighs 225 pounds. Because of that, he tends to get beat up in the post. With more weight put on, he’ll be able to hold up against the likes of Karl-Anthony Towns and Joel Embiid.

While the added weight will contribute to Bender’s post game, it’s his shooting ability that’ll keep in the league. Shooting 37 percent from deep in only his second year, there’s nowhere to go but up for Bender. If he can get to over 40 percent shooting from deep, look out.

Additionally, a spaced-out offense centered around Devin Booker scoring the ball, as quality point guard who can score, and Dragan Bender playing an inside-outside game would be a dangerous one.

How to unleash Bender today:

To some extent, Bender has been unleashed these last few games. He scored 16 points and had 5 assists against Utah and then put up 18 points with 4 shots from deep against the Hornets. While Bender has been solid, it’s the offense he’s been in that’s helped him succeed.

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One of the keys to Bender’s success today is his passing. His ability to hit the backdoor cut –  whether it be Josh Jackson or T.J. Warren – is an unprecedented skill that the Suns need to look more into. A great example of Bender’s passing, along with some offensive insight, can be found here. If the Suns give Dragan Bender the opportunities to pass the ball off set plays and rely on him to hit open shots while getting better inside, he’ll succeed.

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