Anthony Bennett

After a disastrous first season with the Cavaliers, Bennett was dealt to Minnesota as a part of the Kevin Love trade. He was greeted by a limited minutes load (about 16 minutes per game) and ended with averages of 5.2 points, 3.8 rebounds, 0.8 assists, 0.5 steals, and 0.3 blocks. To make matters worse, Bennett has been rumored to be on the trading block for months now, despite strong international play this summer, and could be the odd-man-out in the big-man rotation after the team added Karl-Anthony Towns in the draft. With Kevin Garnett, Adreian Payne, and Gorgui Dieng also vying for minutes at power forward, its unclear how Bennett will get the developmental minutes he needs in Minnesota. If Bennett were to be dealt, he could be a player to watch due to the potential he's flashed at times throughout his career, but as of right now, he is between a rock and a hard place. A starter's workload could see Bennett become an interesting contributor in points and rebounds, but until that scenario becomes a possibility, he is nothing more than a deep league flier.

Anthony Bennett's first season in the NBA with Cleveland was what could be considered a disaster. Fortunately, the 21-year-old Canadian gets a quick second chance because he was part of the blockbuster trade that sent Kevin Love to the Cavaliers and Bennett, Andrew Wiggins, and Thaddeus Young to Minnesota. The 6-8 Bennett was coming off of shoulder surgery entering his rookie season. He had additional issues with sleep apnea and never found a consistent role with Cleveland. Bennett appeared in 52 games and averaged 4.2 points, 0.3 three-points, 3.0 rebounds, 0.3 assists, 0.4 steals, and 0.2 blocks in 13 minutes per game. He converted just 36 percent of his field goals, 25 percent of his three-pointers, and 64 percent of his free throws. Bennett's 6-8 height and willingness to take three-pointers may suggest that could handle a role as a small forward, but his best position in the NBA will likely be at power forward. Even if he trims a few pounds off his 259-pound frame, he has a wide body that can help Minnesota control the boards. Bennett could start next to Thaddeus Young in the frontcourt or continue to get minutes off the bench. The second-year pro should be monitored in the early season for signs of a breakout. He still has a great deal of potential.

There haven't been lower expectations for a No. 1 pick since Kwame Brown took a daily tongue lashing from Michael Jordan with the Washington Wizards. Comparing Bennett to Brown isn't exactly fair. Before he injured his shoulder last year with UNLV, Bennett looked like a monster prospect. He had eight double-doubles in his first 17 games. The 6-8 forward was slowed by injury and a bump in competition in conference play, but he has a diverse offensive game and enough athleticism to be a good rebounder and defender. The Cavs have said that Bennett will likely only play at power forward, and while it seems unlikely, the possibility remains that he could showcase his talen well enough in the preseason to fight for the starting job. We project him to come off the bench at the start of the season, but we'll also be keeping a close on his health and development in camp.