The top overall pick of the 2013 NBA Draft, Anthony Bennett has reportedly gotten a new lease on life. Reports claim that the Phoenix Suns have agreed to a non-guaranteed contract with the Canadian, his fifth team in as many seasons.
According to the Vertical, Bennett will be tasked to provide some muscle for the Suns' young squad. The past years have been far from impressive with the 24-year-old looming as one of the big draft busts in NBA history. Will his fortunes change with the Suns?
Last chance for Bennett
Despite high hopes when he was taken in by Cleveland back in 2013, Bennett has struggled to make the grade.
The former UNLV Running Rebel made his mark as a power and small forward, but somehow he was unable to carry on his college basketball success to the pros.
He hardly made an impression in his rookie season. The only good performance he had was against the New Orleans Pelicans on Jan. 28, 2014. He put up 15 points and eight rebounds in that loss. He tried to work on his game and showed a bit of promise in the 2014 NBA Summer League. But this was before he was traded to the Minnesota Timberwolves for Kevin Love.
Similar to his rookie season, Bennett was a non-factor for the T-Wolves. He would move on to the Toronto Raptors and then the Brooklyn Nets but even both teams hardly reaped dividends from the Canadian.
With a rough and tumble career, critics believe that his signing with the Suns may more or less end up the same. Bennet’s NBA tenure falls entirely on his hands, one that seemingly requires lots of work.
Is Bennett tough enough?
Bennett was never known to dominate the paint, and his signing is a curious case. Skimming through the Suns' roster, they do have Tyson Chandler, Alex Len, and Alan Williams in the middle.
Hence, the former top pick will have to earn his keep if he is to say in Arizona for long.
Given the benefit of the doubt, a new environment could be what Bennett needs. He does have to work on a lot of factors, including the proper playing weight.
In previous years, Bennett seems to be struggling to play well because of weight issues.
Trimming down could work to his advantage, something he was able to show in college in the 2014 NBA Summer League.
Unless he does something about it, this non-guaranteed stint with the Suns could be his last hurrah. Head coach Earl Watson may have plans for the 6-foot-8 forward who will need to use this opportunity well if he intends to stay longer in the pro league.
