Report: Former Suns F Dragan Bender agrees to deal with Milwaukee Bucks
Jul 25, 2019, 8:50 AM | Updated: 1:09 pm
Dragan Bender #35 of the Phoenix Suns handles the ball against Giannis Antetokounmpo #34 of the Milwaukee Bucks during the first half of the NBA game at Talking Stick Resort Arena on March 04, 2019 in Phoenix, Arizona. The Suns defeated the Bucks 114-105. (Photo by Christian Petersen/Getty Images)
(Photo by Christian Petersen/Getty Images)
The Phoenix Suns’ former fourth overall pick Dragan Bender has agreed to a two-year deal with the Milwaukee Bucks, ESPN’s Adrian Wojnarowski reported Thursday.
Bender had previously agreed verbally to play for CSKA Moscow in Russia, per Eurohoops’ Varlas Nikos, “unless there’s an interesting NBA offer for him in the 11th hour.” Evidently, that very scenario has come to fruition.
The 21-year-old Bender appeared in 171 games of a possible 246 over his first three NBA seasons after being the Suns’ fourth overall draft selection in the 2016 NBA Draft. The Suns also took Marquese Chriss with the eighth overall pick that year, meaning both of their first-round selections from 2016 are now with other clubs, assuming the reported Bender deal in Milwaukee gets finalized.
In 2018-19, Bender appeared in only 46 games and averaged 5.0 points, 4.0 rebounds and 1.2 assists in 18 minutes a game.
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While his averages were down, Bender notably managed a large increase in his two-point percentage from 42.6% two seasons ago to 68.6% last year.
Unfortunately for Bender, his reliable three-point shot of 36.6% on 3.9 attempts per game in 2017-18 dropped significantly to 21.8%. The writing was on the wall that Bender’s time with the team was ending when his option was declined and he jumped in and out of the rotation in 2018-19.
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