Closer look at: Anthony Bennett

[Derek]

I would take Zeller's 5 inch advantage in height over Bennett's 2 inch advantage in wingspan. And Zeller is also very quick for his size. The only real advantage Bennett has is his stronger frame, and I don't think that alone negates Zeller's higher effort level and bball IQ.

The fact that Zeller is so smart and plays so hard, but was still such a shitty defender tells me that his physical tools aren't good at all.

He has height, but with his longer arms Bennett might even have a better standing reach (Derrick Williams does).

 

[Lumthemad]

Again, taking away measurement variables, one guy tends to struggle versus a certain defense while another guy can basically score against various defenses. Cody Zeller is a guy who is going to be a solid pro but Bennett has skills which DIRECTLY translate to the NBA.

Of course, as everyone has pointed out the huge concern is position. I swear though, if Lebron wasn't this supreme talent people would've been worried about his position as well. I go again with the concept of you figure out how to add a talented kid onto the team. Honestly, the same concept applies to Noel as well.

 

[Green Lantern]

Again, taking away measurement variables, one guy tends to struggle versus a certain defense while another guy can basically score against various defenses. Cody Zeller is a guy who is going to be a solid pro but Bennett has skills which DIRECTLY translate to the NBA.

Of course, as everyone has pointed out the huge concern is position. I swear though, if Lebron wasn't this supreme talent people would've been worried about his position as well. I go again with the concept of you figure out how to add a talented kid onto the team. Honestly, the same concept applies to Noel as well.

Ughh..don't even want to mention his name (hehe I won't) but Mr.tookmytalentstosouthbeach skills/abilities translated into multiple positions.
He can play more than one position and do better than anyone. Trying to project which spot was hard because of his potiential mismatches.

Bennett's skills aren't exactly doing that for him..nor do I see very many ranking him as a top 1or 2 prospect.

Not one website I've looked at thinks he can play the 3.
Now if the Cavs look at his POtiential and feel he is a absolute mismatch nightmare for opposing teams and are comfortable with that and also feeling he can be coached up or baked up(Mike Brown) then they have to consider that.

 

[Nathan S]

Again, taking away measurement variables, one guy tends to struggle versus a certain defense while another guy can basically score against various defenses. Cody Zeller is a guy who is going to be a solid pro but Bennett has skills which DIRECTLY translate to the NBA.

Of course, as everyone has pointed out the huge concern is position. I swear though, if Lebron wasn't this supreme talent people would've been worried about his position as well. I go again with the concept of you figure out how to add a talented kid onto the team. Honestly, the same concept applies to Noel as well.

Part of the reason I dislike Bennett is because I feel like he put up his numbers against weak competition. What "various defenses" did he score against, in your opinion, that suggest that he will be effective in the NBA?

 

[Green Lantern]

Part of the reason I dislike Bennett is because I feel like he put up his numbers against weak competition. What "various defenses" did he score against, in your opinion, that suggest that he will be effective in the NBA?

Should I presume you have seen a lot of his games?
If so what exactly did you see?

 

[Nathan S]

Should I presume you have seen a lot of his games?
If so what exactly did you see?

I see that he faced 4 ranked teams all season and averaged 12 points per game against them. I also see that about half of his 20 point games came against schools I didn't know existed. I don't claim to be any sort of expert on the guy, but I'm far from convinced that he'll be able to score against NBA defenses.

 

[drewvr91]

Should I presume you have seen a lot of his games?
If so what exactly did you see?

I see that he faced 4 ranked teams all season and averaged 12 points per game against them. I also see that about half of his 20 point games came against schools I didn't know existed. I don't claim to be any sort of expert on the guy, but I'm far from convinced that he'll be able to score against NBA defenses.

Translation is you didn't watch any of his games and making assumptions based on whats on paper = <iframe width="420" height="315" src="http://www.youtube.com/embed/bOdpX6dcrU4" frameborder="0" allowfullscreen></iframe>

 

[Kouki]

It would be preferable if you guys actually countered his argument, because I feel the same way as he does, and I'm not going to sift through his old game tapes...

 

[Lumthemad]

I see that he faced 4 ranked teams all season and averaged 12 points per game against them. I also see that about half of his 20 point games came against schools I didn't know existed. I don't claim to be any sort of expert on the guy, but I'm far from convinced that he'll be able to score against NBA defenses.

I do think it is a far complaint/concern with Bennett. He creamed the unknowns and only did so so against the ranked teams he played against. Again, to me it is as simple as passing the eye test. You watch him and you can see the talent level being shown on the court. This is a kid however who has been a top ranked prospect in scouts eye's for a small bit of time.

I question how a lot of these kids will fit in at the highest level. That is where you've got to have faith in your scouts, which i think the Cavs more than have.

 

[EdMonix11]

I see that he faced 4 ranked teams all season and averaged 12 points per game against them. I also see that about half of his 20 point games came against schools I didn't know existed. I don't claim to be any sort of expert on the guy, but I'm far from convinced that he'll be able to score against NBA defenses.

Well, the last thing you ever need to worry about with Anthony Bennett is his offense. He's so much of an upgrade over TT on offense that it's scary and I think the Cavs interest in him is very real, for that very reason. Bennett played out of position for most of the year at center (he volunteered after an injury) and was his teams primary scoring option. He can score in a variety of ways despite teams game planning specifically for him. His biggest issues are passing and playing within an offense; he was his teams top scorer, they needed him to score, and he was in scoring mode all the time. He also suffered from some poor PG play, so there really isn't any reason to think his issues wouldn't be correctable in the NBA. He's the one player that would be an upgrade over a player that we've currently taken in the top 4.

He's poor on defense but it's never really been asked of him to develop on that end. UNLV was one of the top defensive teams in the NCAA last year so Bennett wasn't terrible, they played a lot of zone and sometimes he lost his man and made him look incredibly poor, but again, they were really good on D and needed Bennett on offense. I also don't buy the whole, we have Mike Brown, we need good defenders argument. Didn't we bring Mike Brown back to develop and improve the defense of poor defenders?

 

[Derek]

Anthony Bennett vs teams that made the NCAA tournament

22 points and 10 rebounds on 7-14 shooting against #15 Oregon in 31 minutes
22 points 7 rebounds and 4 blocks on 6-12 shooting against Iowa State in 32 minutes
20 points and 12 rebounds on 13-28 shooting in 36 minutes against California in 2 games (averages)
15 points and 13 rebounds on 6-16 shooting against UNC in 34 minutes
14.7 points 9.7 rebounds and 2 blocks on 19-36 shooting in 31 minutes against #19 New Mexico in 3 games (averages)
12 points 6 rebounds and 1.3 blocks on 14-23 shooting in 29.3 minutes against Colorado State in 3 games (averages)
15 points 7 rebounds and 1.5 blocks on 11-19 shooting in 23.5 minutes against San Diego State in 2 games (averages)
18 points 7 rebounds and 2.5 blocks on 13-24 shooting in 30 minutes against Boise State in 2 games (averages)

15 games
30.5 mpg
16.3 points
8.6 rebounds
1.5 blocks
89-172 (51.7%)

Nobody elite here, but all good teams. He performed quite well, too.

Nathan, I assume, is just looking at the game log on ESPN which only shows the rankings of the teams at the time the game was played. So, in his stats, he included a 9 point 2 rebound performance against then 15th ranked San Diego State, but not a 21 point 12 rebound game against the same team a month later. It also doesn't include the best team they played all year, Oregon, because they weren't ranked for most of the season.

 

[NarlCavs]

Well I guess Bennett as the sleeper pick is no longer unexpected. It wouldn't surprise me at all if the Cavs take him. He potentially could end up the best player in this draft. If Grant and the Cavs feel is the definite top talent this year than I wouldn't have a huge problem with them taking him. Problem is that he is a PF. Can only see him playing limited minutes at SF.

Probably best not to get overly caught up in combine measurements and testing. You can end up disappointed if you place too much emphasis on them. They're just one factor among many in making draft decisions.

 

[2nd2none]

He stated some where he wanted to be a G or SF maybe he can shed that baby fat he has and be even more explosive and laterally quick. I think id take TT over him if doesn't have the capability of playing marginal defense vs typical NBA Sf's he would be a waste of a pic for our system bpa.

How ever the looks he could give teams from the 3 could be nasty if he take his pro career serious. That body would be fine for a Browns TE not for a 3 or 4.

We sign a true center like Pekovic then I could see him being selected and given time to be groomed into the new prototype power sf.

 

[wuck]

He stated some where he wanted to be a G or SF maybe he can shed that baby fat he has and be even more explosive and laterally quick.

He started to try to lose weight and improve his quickness to be a SF this spring, but those plans were shelved when he hurt his shoulder and had surgery. So the jury is still out on that transition. Bummer about all the injuries to these guys.

 

[ajz20]

He started to try to lose weight and improve his quickness to be a SF this spring, but those plans were shelved when he hurt his shoulder and had surgery. So the jury is still out on that transition. Bummer about all the injuries to these guys.

Wuck off topic. but thank you for all the work that you do around here for all these years. How do you possibly have time for a full time job on the side lol?