Two number one overall picks were traded from the Cleveland Cavaliers to the Minnesota Timberwolves last summer. The prize jewel of the trade was 2014 first overall pick, Andrew Wiggins. 2013 number one overall pick, Anthony Bennett, was seen as a throw-in by the Cavs in the Kevin Love deal.
Now it appears that Bennett’s time with the T-Wolves will be coming to an end.
Following from Yahoo! Sports Adrian Wojnarowski.
Yahoo Sources: Minnesota progressing on contract buyout with former No. 1 pick Anthony Bennett. He would be free agent if clears waivers.
— Adrian Wojnarowski (@WojYahooNBA) September 21, 2015
Throughout his career, Anthony Bennett has shown flashes of what could be a solid NBA career. He has good athleticism, a great motor, he can rebound, draw fouls and plays decent defense but he’s been so up and down throughout his two seasons in the NBA.
Last season, playing alongside a good rim protector in Gorgui Dieng, Bennett showed his worth on the offensive end and defensively, he didn’t lose much by being able to stretch out and defend some stretch fours. The issue, whenever he’s asked to do too much on either end of the floor, he crumbles under the pressure after a while and his play dramatically falls.
Hopefully for Bennett, he can go somewhere that will allow his game to develop because playing for two lottery teams in his first two seasons has not helped him grow. It only made the teams throw him into the fire and Bennett burned under the pressure.
Bennett being the number one overall pick was no fault of his own if you look back on the 2013 NBA Draft. The Cavaliers couldn’t take Victor Oladipo due to the fact they already had Kyrie Irving. Nerlens Noel was coming off a big injury and no one knew what to expect from guys like Alex Len or Giannis Antetokounmpo and Otto Porter on the wing wasn’t always a sure thing and it still isn’t today. Bennett was the number one pick by default and it will forever cast a shadow over his career.
