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The Minnesota Timberwolves hold the No. 1 pick in Thursday night’s NBA Draft, which would give them the last three No. 1 overall picks as their roster is currently constructed. But that unique situation does not look likely to last long, with ESPN’s Marc Stein reporting that the Timberwolves have made 2013 No. 1 pick Anthony Bennett available via trade.
Bennett was taken first overall by the Cleveland Cavaliers two years ago, and played just 52 games as a rookie in 2013-14 while averaging 12.8 minutes, 4.2 points and 3.0 rebounds per game as he battled a myriad of physical issues. He was sent to Minnesota in the three-way trade involving Kevin Love last August, and a fresh start with a team that needed talent and could give him an opportunity to play a lot looked like good news for Bennett.
But things were not a lot better for Bennett during the 2014-15 season, as he averaged 5.2 points and 3.8 rebounds per game over 57 games (three starts). Leg and ankle issues led to him only playing four of the season’s final 28 games, and by that point Bennett’s best stretch of the season (10 or more points in five of six games from Nov. 15-Nov. 28) was a distant memory.
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. 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.
Bennett is just 22 years old, so I assume there will be at least one team that thinks it can bring him aboard and get him on the right track. It’s just a matter of what kind of trade offers end up on the table, be it this week or down the road, and Flip Saunders should not dismiss any call that comes.
Brad Berreman is a Senior Writer at Rant Sports.com. Follow him on Twitter.
