Although it’s been only two seasons, Bennett is the only No. 1 overall pick since the ABA-NBA merger to have a negative win shares total, per Basketball-Reference.com.
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It’s not surprising that the Timberwolves want to trade Bennett, even with two injury-plagued, disappointing seasons making his value virtually non-existent around the league.
The Wolves have a versatile and exciting young core, and are set to add (presumably) either Karl-Anthony Towns or Jahlil Okafor on Thursday with the No. 1 pick in the draft. The team has the number three overall pick and most mocks have them taking D’Angelo Russell, but others have suggested that Kristaps Porzingis is also in the mix. That said, the prospect of a lackluster return in a trade should not prevent a move to send Bennett elsewhere at any point this offseason.
In his first year with the Cavs, he averaged only 4.2 points, 3.0 rebounds and only 12.8 minutes per game.
MINNEAPOLIS, MN – DECEMBER 14: Kobe Bryant #24 of the Los Angeles Lakers drives towards to the basket against Anthony Bennett #24 of the Minnesota Timberwolves during the third quarter of the game on December 14, 2014 at Target Center in Minneapolis, Minnesota. 6 assists and. 2 blocks per game. Aside from that, he stands to redeem himself and prove critics wrong who consider him one of the top rookie flops the NBA has ever had.
Here or elsewhere, he’ll get his chances to turn things around. The report doesn’t indicate a compensatory expectation from the Timberwolves’ perspective, though it’d be a surprise to see them get anything of substance. He has a $7,318,289 team option for 2016-17 that must be exercised by the end of this October.
He’s shooting 39.3 percent for his career, an abysmal rate for a big man, and remains a slow, inattentive defender. The Wolves weren’t wrong to give him a shot previous year, and whoever gives him the next one won’t be wrong either.
But as far as No. 1 picks go, he has his work cut out for him to climb from the ranks of the worst.
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