I can see the Celtics drafting Domantas Sabonis

[Evantime34]

Bender is 7'2. Moves like a small forward. Coordinated like a guard. Great shooting form.

Yeah. He also won't be the first guy for whom, after you get over the fact that he won't be a guard and won't be a small forward, you realize he's not really fit to be anything else in the NBA.

I feel like the value of position specific skills in the NBA is for the most part a thing of the past.

Bender will be able to guard multiple positions and hit the 3 in the NBA. That he doesn't fit a specific position archetype shouldn't be a big issue.

For the Celtics I think you would play him at the 4 and have him take whoever is the easiest match up of opposing 3's and 4's. He would be able to switch pick and rolls using his quickness or play as the big if we decide to ice the pick and rolls so he can protect the rim. On offense you would have him spot up from 3, drive closeouts and ocassionally handle the ball.

[Tr1boy]

Bender is 7'2. Moves like a small forward. Coordinated like a guard. Great shooting form.

Yeah. He also won't be the first guy for whom, after you get over the fact that he won't be a guard and won't be a small forward, you realize he's not really fit to be anything else in the NBA.

Exactly. 

[BitterJim]

Bender is 7'2. Moves like a small forward. Coordinated like a guard. Great shooting form.

Yeah. He also won't be the first guy for whom, after you get over the fact that he won't be a guard and won't be a small forward, you realize he's not really fit to be anything else in the NBA.

Just like Kelly Olynyk?

[Tr1boy]

Bender is 7'2. Moves like a small forward. Coordinated like a guard. Great shooting form.

Yeah. He also won't be the first guy for whom, after you get over the fact that he won't be a guard and won't be a small forward, you realize he's not really fit to be anything else in the NBA.

Just like Kelly Olynyk?

KO is diff

He went from Center (college) to PF (NBA)

[Eddie20]

Bender is 7'2. Moves like a small forward. Coordinated like a guard. Great shooting form.

Yeah. He also won't be the first guy for whom, after you get over the fact that he won't be a guard and won't be a small forward, you realize he's not really fit to be anything else in the NBA.

Just like Kelly Olynyk?

KO is diff

He went from Center (college) to PF (NBA)

So Bender who is taller, longer, and more athletic can't play PF? How you even say that is illogical.

[loco_91]

Opinions

How high could Sabonis go in the draft? How low?

Ppl OK with Sabonis replacing sully?

I think he could go in the late lottery. Hard for me to see him cracking the top 10 unless some new info comes out, like he grew 2 inches or something.

I like Sabonis a lot, and I thought he'd be a really good option at around #16. Now that the Mavs pick is likely to be 12 or 13, I'm guessing there will be better options. DX has Labissiere, Jackson and Luwawu 10-11-12 right how, and I'd prefer any of them over a talented but not well-rounded prospect like Sabonis. Especially Demetrius Jackson looks like an awesome option - he's just sooooo athletic, and he could be a knockdown shooter if he doesn't have to create every shot for himself (113/139 FTs this year). He's pretty redundant with Rozier, though.

[Tr1boy]

Bender is 7'2. Moves like a small forward. Coordinated like a guard. Great shooting form.

Yeah. He also won't be the first guy for whom, after you get over the fact that he won't be a guard and won't be a small forward, you realize he's not really fit to be anything else in the NBA.

Just like Kelly Olynyk?

KO is diff

He went from Center (college) to PF (NBA)

So Bender who is taller, longer, and more athletic can't play PF? How you even say that is illogical.

Bender plays a strictly finesse game. Avoids contact near the basket. 

Even skinny Kristap does not shy away from contact

KO does not

[Tr1boy]

Bender is like a slightly taller Channing Frye.  Better driving to the basket, vision, slower jump shot release. Takes too long to set up for the shot

Like many have said he is a position less player. Bad for the defensive end.  Now if you have a Andre Drummond beside him maybe it can work.

How many Andre Drummond's are in the league though

[Evantime34]

Bender is like a slightly taller Channing Frye.  Better driving to the basket, vision, slower jump shot release. Takes too long to set up for the shot

Like many have said he is a position less player. Bad for the defensive end. Now if you have a Andre Drummond beside him maybe it can work.

How many Andre Drummond's are in the league though

The scouting reports I have read dispute this. Pretty much everything I read indicates he has the potential to defend on the perimeter and block shots at the rim.

[Tr1boy]

Bender is like a slightly taller Channing Frye.  Better driving to the basket, vision, slower jump shot release. Takes too long to set up for the shot

Like many have said he is a position less player. Bad for the defensive end. Now if you have a Andre Drummond beside him maybe it can work.

How many Andre Drummond's are in the league though

The scouting reports I have read dispute this. Pretty much everything I read indicates he has the potential to defend on the perimeter and block shots at the rim.

What about boxing out? Rebounding? Not shying away from contact?

How will he do with 5 min left

[Evantime34]

Bender is like a slightly taller Channing Frye.  Better driving to the basket, vision, slower jump shot release. Takes too long to set up for the shot

Like many have said he is a position less player. Bad for the defensive end. Now if you have a Andre Drummond beside him maybe it can work.

How many Andre Drummond's are in the league though

The scouting reports I have read dispute this. Pretty much everything I read indicates he has the potential to defend on the perimeter and block shots at the rim.

What about boxing out? Rebounding? Not shying away from contact?

How will he do with 5 min left

Yeah, I don't think he's a great rebounder, but I expect that to improve as his body develops and he puts on weight. The development of his body will also help him deal better with contact.

With Bender it's hard to know what he will be long term, but the potential is absolutely there. You just have to figure out which of his negatives stick with him and what can be explained away by playing in a league with 25 year old men when you are an 18 year old boy.

What I do see when I watch him is a fluid athlete with good length, a solid feel for the game and good vision. Any defensive issue he currently has probably have a lot to do with him being so much younger and lighter than the players he plays against.

[Tr1boy]

Bender is like a slightly taller Channing Frye.  Better driving to the basket, vision, slower jump shot release. Takes too long to set up for the shot

Like many have said he is a position less player. Bad for the defensive end. Now if you have a Andre Drummond beside him maybe it can work.

How many Andre Drummond's are in the league though

The scouting reports I have read dispute this. Pretty much everything I read indicates he has the potential to defend on the perimeter and block shots at the rim.

What about boxing out? Rebounding? Not shying away from contact?

How will he do with 5 min left

Yeah, I don't think he's a great rebounder, but I expect that to improve as his body develops and he puts on weight. The development of his body will also help him deal better with contact.

With Bender it's hard to know what he will be long term, but the potential is absolutely there. You just have to figure out which of his negatives stick with him and what can be explained away by playing in a league with 25 year old men when you are an 18 year old boy.

What I do see when I watch him is a fluid athlete with good length, a solid feel for the game and good vision. Any defensive issue he currently has probably have a lot to do with him being so much younger and lighter than the players he plays against.

Also has to do with approach. Which IMO is more important than adding weight.  Looks at Rabb. Skinny like bender, does not shy away from contact.   KG was the same

[Tr1boy]

Rodman the same

[kozlodoev]

Bender is like a slightly taller Channing Frye.  Better driving to the basket, vision, slower jump shot release. Takes too long to set up for the shot

Like many have said he is a position less player. Bad for the defensive end. Now if you have a Andre Drummond beside him maybe it can work.

How many Andre Drummond's are in the league though

The scouting reports I have read dispute this. Pretty much everything I read indicates he has the potential to defend on the perimeter and block shots at the rim.

Maybe he can defend the Andre Drummondsof the world on the perimeter. Also I don't see how being "not a great athlete with limited leaping ability" will allow him to block shots. In Europe, you can do this simply by being 7'2. In the NBA, not so much.

[Evantime34]

Bender is like a slightly taller Channing Frye.  Better driving to the basket, vision, slower jump shot release. Takes too long to set up for the shot

Like many have said he is a position less player. Bad for the defensive end. Now if you have a Andre Drummond beside him maybe it can work.

How many Andre Drummond's are in the league though

The scouting reports I have read dispute this. Pretty much everything I read indicates he has the potential to defend on the perimeter and block shots at the rim.

Maybe he can defend the Andre Drummondsof the world on the perimeter. Also I don't see how being "not a great athlete with limited leaping ability" will allow him to block shots. In Europe, you can do this simply by being 7'2. In the NBA, not so much.

From what I've read he isn't a great athlete in terms of vertical leap but he's very quick laterally. Maybe the term rim protector makes more sense shot blocker, because at the NBA level I expect him to use his quickness along with his length to be in great position to wall off the paint.