OT Minnesota progressing on contract buyout with former No. 1 pick Anthony Bennett.

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If true, Bennett’s agent must have another team interested in signing him, but that team is not whiling to trade any assets.

The reports also state that the agent is trying to get Bennett on a team where he has a chance to play more minutes. That does not sound like the Blazers.

I am/I'd also be unwilling to trade any assets for him.

You don't know how thrilled I am to see the 2nd set of words ^ in bold; man I hope this IS true!:smiley-pray:
 
Several un-verified reports claim the TWolves have not given up on Bennett; it is Bennett’s agent that is pushing for the buyout.

If true, Bennett’s agent must have another team interested in signing him, but that team is not whiling to trade any assets.

The reports also state that the agent is trying to get Bennett on a team where he has a chance to play more minutes. That does not sound like the Blazers.
Who knows? He might not see Leonard/Davis/Vonleh as being such grand competition.
 
He doesn't have to be claimed on waivers.

Either Neil wants him badly enough to pay him at 1st pick rookie scale, or he can wait for him to clear and sign him as acUFA. But I think as UFA, you still might have to pay him $5 so teams like the Cavs can't get him for vet minimum.

I'd consider a 2 year deal for $5 a season with team or player option for year 2.

Or roll with the bigs we have and maybe score one of Noah or Gibson at the deadline when the inevitable salary dump is likely .
 
I don't get all this Bennett interest. He wasn't that good in college and hasn't done anything in the pros to show he is more than a potential bench player. I went to a few games to specifically watch him play while at UNLV. I came away very un-impressed....

I don't care that it's his 3rd year. He doesn't have the requisite skills or physical attributes to become a "good" player.

This is in no way similar to Meyers. Meyers showed a lot of promise in his 1 & 2nd year (despite the public out lash on these forums).
 
I don't get all this Bennett interest. He wasn't that good in college and hasn't done anything in the pros to show he is more than a potential bench player. I went to a few games to specifically watch him play while at UNLV. I came away very un-impressed....

I don't care that it's his 3rd year. He doesn't have the requisite skills or physical attributes to become a "good" player.

This is in no way similar to Meyers. Meyers showed a lot of promise in his 1 & 2nd year (despite the public out lash on these forums).
  • He's extremely athletic, at least in terms of jumping/dunking. Definitely an NBA level athlete.
  • Neil had interest in him during his draft. You may not have been impressed with him at UNLV, but Neil obviously was.
  • His suckage was historical his rookie year, but he showed a lot of improvement in his second year - that's the type of things intelligent teams look for.
  • I don't know what games you've been watching, but Biebs made the worst decisions on the court I have ever seen his rookie year. We're not just talking Barton's patented jump-pass-turnover, we're talking double pump underhanded 3 pointer (not a joke, Biebs did this and many other stupid things). Biebs improved, and Bennett has improved.
  • Interestingly, you don't bring up what is possibly his biggest question mark for the Blazers: what position does he play?
 
Shams is a decent source.
 


His representatives are hopeful that no team claims him on waivers and that he will have the opportunity to pick his next destination as a free agent. Philadelphia and Portland plan to look carefully at the possibility of claiming Bennett, league sources told Yahoo Sports.

Bennett played his best basketball as a pro for two Blazers coaches – Jay Triano and David Vanterpool – this summer on the Canadian national team, and undoubtedly Blazers general manager Neil Olshey will lean on his staff for intel on Bennett. Portland is still $13 million below the minimum salary threshold, which could factor into a possible decision to claim Bennett.
 
As far as position, Bennett appears to have a SFs offensive game that can also crash the boards for rebounds and put-backs. On defense he either is clueless, or, just does not care, or both.
 
... question mark for the Blazers: what position does he play?
VERY good question.

The article ^ shares a major concern that a lot of us have, "the trick would be in finding playing time for him at power forward, where Portland has Meyers Leonard and Noah Vonleh;" so whose time/development does he take away from (most likely that would be Vonleh & even IF Bennett has promise, I'm COMPLETELY against destroying Vonleh's development & I really don't feel Neil would bring in Bennett & then trade Vonleh; I would lose all faith in Neil IF he did this. Also, what of Ed & Mason in all this?)? Because as stated ^ by
... agent is trying to get Bennett on a team where he has a chance to play more minutes;
that will be north of 16 minutes a game (based on his 15.7 minutes last yr... that means he wants > this!:unsure:).
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If Bennett want playing time...Shanghai Sharks will sign him
 
Remember Vanterpool was an assistant with Canada this summer. Having him and Triano around him might light a fire under his ass!


Sent from my Baller-Ass 5.5" iPhone 6+......... FAMS
 
What if Olshey has picked up some of these guys with the idea that they aren't necessarily long-term Blazers, but instead are assets to use in trades. Perhaps he always saw one or more of Vonleh/Plumlee/Davis as a future trade chip to get better at a position of need. In that scenario it might make sense to acquire Bennett. What's currently a crowded front-court could quickly be a more modest front-court with a single trade.
 
Remember Vanterpool was an assistant with Canada this summer. Having him and Triano around him might light a fire under his ass!


Sent from my Baller-Ass 5.5" iPhone 6+......... FAMS
It fits the mold of getting top picks from a couple years ago...I just don't want him taking minutes from Leonard, Plumlee, Davis, Vonleh or even Kaman..
 
I like Bennet, I think he could be a solid player but I don't like him better than at least 5 of the big men we already have. I don't think we need him
 
http://www.oregonlive.com/blazers/i..._interest_in_signing_former.html#incart_river

Former No. 1 overall pick Anthony Bennett is looking for a third team in as many seasons after he reached a buyout with the Minnesota Timberwolves on Tuesday, according to Sham Charania of Yahoo Sports.

Yahoo reports that the Portland Trail Blazersare expected suitors for the 6-foot-8 forward who was selected by the Cleveland Cavaliers with the first pick in the 2013 draft.

Blazers assistant coach Jay Triano is the head coach of the Canadian men's national team and coached Bennett in two FIBA tournaments this summer. Fellow Blazers assistant David Vanterpool was on Triano's staff and got to work with Bennett throughout the offseason at the PanAm Games and FIBA Americas Championship. The Philadelphia 76ers are also likely to pursue Bennett.
 
Vonleh > Bennett

I like the idea of low risk / high reward, but right now we are jam packed with young, talented bigs who need minutes. I guess if Neil is sold on him, we could move someone.
 
Vonleh > Bennett

I like the idea of low risk / high reward, but right now we are jam packed with young, talented bigs who need minutes. I guess if Neil is sold on him, we could move someone.
Like I said in this thread before, the most likely to go IF he came in would b Kaman (possibly Alexander bc we would have so many PFs now) BUT bc we are bringing in some1... that means instead of losing two guys we now have to lose three (presumably: Kaman, Miller, Frazier; I don't mind losing the later 2 BUT I don't want to have to lose Kaman or Alexander bc of Bennett).
 
I hope Neil & the FO are following the board these days & seeing how the majority of us don't want Bennett. WE are warning him.
 
Like I said in this thread before, the most likely to go IF he came in would b Kaman (possibly Alexander bc we would have so many PFs now) BUT bc we are bringing in some1... that means instead of losing two guys we now have to lose three (presumably: Kaman, Miller, Frazier; I don't mind losing the later 2 BUT I don't want to have to lose Kaman or Alexander bc of Bennett).

But moving Kaman doesn't really fix the problem. Where do the minutes come from for this young guy? Leonard, Vonleh, Davis, Plumlee, and maybe even Aminu if he's better suited as a stretch four. Those guys are all young. They're all talented. Bennett seems like a tweener who is too slow to be a small forward and too small to be a power forward.
 
But moving Kaman doesn't really fix the problem. Where do the minutes come from for this young guy? Leonard, Vonleh, Davis, Plumlee, and maybe even Aminu if he's better suited as a stretch four. Those guys are all young. They're all talented. Bennett seems like a tweener who is too slow to be a small forward and too small to be a power forward.
EXACTLY. All good points that I agree w/. Moving Kaman doesn't fix the problem, I was just saying it is still a very real possibility he could get bumped though bc of Bennett.

We need to start an anit-Bennett campaign w/ our slogan being, "N.O. say no (to bringing in Bennett ooooof course:tongue2:)!"
 
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Hmmm... although.... maybe the plan is to put together a package of young guys to send Golden State for Barnes, or maybe Boogie. It seems like Neil is in talent acquisition mode, and eventually we will cash in those chips for something bigger.
 
So the "buyout" only goes into effect if nobody claims him at his full salary right? Let him clear waivers and then make a one year offer with a team option 2nd year if you think it's worth it, no need to claim his bloated #1 pick salary.
 

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