Anthony Bennett looking really good in Summer League

[RedBlackAttack]

Yes, it is "just" Summer League. I know, so no need to point it out.

He has been consistently dominant through two games. A guy with his amount of talent/skill should be dominating SL competition in his second go-round, but I don't know how anyone could watch him play and not get excited about his potential. His jumper looks pure, he's shown a nice handle, good explosion, a high motor, getting up and down the floor very quickly, and elite rebounding prowess.

Here he is breaking down his defender with a crossover and feeding Wiggins for an open J.

http://www.imgdumper.nl/uploads7/53c3125eba682/53c3125eaeef2-AB1.gif


Here's his highlights from Summer League so far (2 games)


Anthony Bennett vs. Spurs -- 13 points (5-8 shooting), 14 rebounds (http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=OchRHkJvSUk)


Anthony Bennett vs. Bucks -- 15 points, 7 rebounds (http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Qr-LRV9FkJU)


Like I said, I'll be completely shocked if this kid ends up being a bust in the longrun. Too much skill/talent in that big frame.

[Cocaine80s]

didnt know he had handles


reminds me of myself

[Mr. Incredible]

He looks like he's in much, much better shape.

[stalkerforlife]

Dude can play.

Damn.

[JimmyMcAdocious]

Damn, 5 allstars on the Cavs.

[outbreak]

He's looked real good, even if it's only summer league the things he is showing are still things that should translate well in the regular season.

[MJ(Mean John)]

Completely different player/body.

Guy is finally healthy and in shape and has confidence again. Now THAT looks like a great young prospect. I like how you can put the ball on the floor, has a sweet jumper, and finishes strong, however no lost post game?

[1~Gibson~1]

I couldnt believe we drafted this guy a year ago.... but that was BEFORR he lost weight :bowdown:

[outbreak]

Completely different player/body.

Guy is finally healthy and in shape and has confidence again. Now THAT looks like a great young prospect. I like how you can put the ball on the floor, has a sweet jumper, and finishes strong, however no lost post game?
still young but he has a good enough jump shot that he can stretch the floor and cut and still get by

[hawksdogsbraves]

A first overall pick averaging 14ppg in Summer League in his second year?!?!!

Inconceivable!

Give him the MVP now!

[oarabbus]

Good for him and good for the Cavs. Legitimately happy for both sides, coming from someone who clowned the pick all of last year.

[outbreak]

A first overall pick averaging 14ppg in Summer League in his second year?!?!!

Inconceivable!

Give him the MVP now!

an idiot on ish making over reactions to other people's posts when they want to talk about the positive steps a player has taken!??!!?

Inconceivable!

Give that poster the dickhead of the year award now!

[hawksdogsbraves]

an idiot on ish making over reactions to other people's posts when they want to talk about the positive steps a player has taken!??!!?

Inconceivable!

Give that poster the dickhead of the year award now!

Let's all make a post for every shitty player in summer league who has a good game. Trey Thompkins had 17/9 tonight, he's gonna be the next great Laker probably. BRB making threads.

[outbreak]

Let's all make a post for every shitty player in summer league who has a good game. Trey Thompkins had 17/9 tonight, he's gonna be the next great Laker probably. BRB making threads.
If you think Bennett's story and the history of how he's been discussed here is the same as Trey Thompkins than you're an idiot.

[NattyPButter]

I'm pretty positive he didn't play in the Summer League last year. I think you meant the preseason games. Anyways he still shows his low basketball IQ with shooting the ball with so much time left on the clock. Also needs to work on that defense still. I still hope he starts over TT though.

[inclinerator]

cavs dont need love, just bennett

[Meticode]

I'm pretty positive he didn't play in the Summer League last year. I think you meant the preseason games. Anyways he still shows his low basketball IQ with shooting the ball with so much time left on the clock. Also needs to work on that defense still. I still hope he starts over TT though.
He didn't play. He was still recovering from the shoulder injury during Summer League last year.

[navy]

Thompson needs to go.

[TheMilkyBarKid]

cavs dont need love, just bennett
I seriously hope Bennett &/or Wiggins don't get moved for Love.
In my opinion it'd be wiser to move a combination of Waiters/TT for either good 3 point shooters or a centre, seeing as how Andy V is injured a lot and may not be as effective in a few seasons.

[ALBballer]

Still not sure what he is. 3 or 4? I guess I see Paul Millsap in him.

[outbreak]

I seriously hope Bennett &/or Wiggins don't get moved for Love.
In my opinion it'd be wiser to move a combination of Waiters/TT for either good 3 point shooters or a centre, seeing as how Andy V is injured a lot and may not be as effective in a few seasons.
Is tyler zeller still on the cavs? I like his game in college how's he doing?

[Sarcastic]

#1 draft picks shouldn't play summer league past the first year.

[TheMilkyBarKid]

Is tyler zeller still on the cavs? I like his game in college how's he doing?
I think he was moved in the Jarrett Jack trade, I'd have to check on that one though

[TheMilkyBarKid]

#1 draft picks shouldn't play summer league past the first year.
the guy is trying to get a proper preseason under his belt, don't hate on him for that

[Meticode]

Yes, it is "just" Summer League. I know, so no need to point it out.

However, it is worth noting that in last year's Summer League, aside from one quarter of one game against Orlando where he was hitting everything he tossed at the rim, he was pretty bad. He was out of shape and coming off of a rough shoulder injury which hurt his ability to shoot the ball.


This year, he has been consistently dominant. A guy with his amount of talent/skill should be dominating SL competition in his second go-round, but I don't know how anyone could watch him play and not get excited about his potential. His jumper looks pure, he's shown a nice handle, good explosion, a high motor, getting up and down the floor very quickly, and elite rebounding prowess.

Here he is breaking down his defender with a crossover and feeding Wiggins for an open J.

http://www.imgdumper.nl/uploads7/53c3125eba682/53c3125eaeef2-AB1.gif


Here's his highlights from Summer League so far (2 games)


Anthony Bennett vs. Spurs -- 13 points (5-8 shooting), 14 rebounds (http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=OchRHkJvSUk)


Anthony Bennett vs. Bucks -- 15 points, 7 rebounds (http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Qr-LRV9FkJU)


Like I said, I'll be completely shocked if this kid ends up being a bust in the longrun. Too much skill/talent in that big frame.
Actually that was pre-season. Bennett didn't play in Summer League at all in 2013. He was still recovering from the shoulder injury.

[JtotheIzzo]

I'm pretty positive he didn't play in the Summer League last year. I think you meant the preseason games. Anyways he still shows his low basketball IQ with shooting the ball with so much time left on the clock. Also needs to work on that defense still. I still hope he starts over TT though.

Not as low a bball IQ you show by making that comment.:lol

[JtotheIzzo]

I seriously hope Bennett &/or Wiggins don't get moved for Love.
In my opinion it'd be wiser to move a combination of Waiters/TT for either good 3 point shooters or a centre, seeing as how Andy V is injured a lot and may not be as effective in a few seasons.

The way Bennett played in the Spurs game highlights is exactly how he'd be set up in Blatt's offense. If he keeps this up he isn't going anywhere.

[G-train]

Still not sure what he is. 3 or 4? I guess I see Paul Millsap in him.

He's a player, soon that's all there will be.

[G-train]

Thompson needs to go.

Lebron's friend won't be going.

[El Gato Negro]

I never understood the Bennett hate. kid looked good last two summer games can't wait to see him play this season. good to see him step up and lead this young summer league squad with delly.

[Ca$H]

Bennett, Waiters, and Tristan for Love is more than enough.

[El Gato Negro]

Blatts coaching has been fun to watch as well, been awhile since i seen ball movement and open looks in a cavs offense.

[Cocaine80s]

Lol imagine if Bennett breaks out this season and T wolves get mad as **** they didn't trade Love during the off season

[RedBlackAttack]

I'm pretty positive he didn't play in the Summer League last year. I think you meant the preseason games. Anyways he still shows his low basketball IQ with shooting the ball with so much time left on the clock. Also needs to work on that defense still. I still hope he starts over TT though.
Right on the preseason thing.


The shoulder injury was more serious than people realized at the time. It really effected his jumper well into the regular season. People can say what they want about Bennett, but the guy can shoot the basketball when healthy with some serious range.

He's going to get a lot of open looks playing alongside LeBron, Kyrie and Dion. He'll have all of the opportunities in the world to stretch a defense.

[RedBlackAttack]

Still not sure what he is. 3 or 4? I guess I see Paul Millsap in him.
He's definitely a 4. He is capable of playing the 3 in stretches offensively, but not defensively. He's much more confident on the defensive side playing down low and he's actually a really good rebounder. If you take him too far away from the basket by asking him to defend 3s, you'll limit one of the best aspects of his game.

I don't really see him playing much SF in this league, at least not in the near future. It is actually more likely that Thompson gets serious minutes at center than Bennett playing the 3.

[RedBlackAttack]

#1 draft picks shouldn't play summer league past the first year.

In recent years, Anthony Davis is the only No. 1 pick to not participate in the SL... or at least not try.

Kyrie Irving was set to play in the Summer League in his second year before breaking his hand in preparation.

John Wall played in his second year Summer League.

Blake Griffin played in the 2010 Summer League, which was a year after he was drafted.

[LilEddyCurry]

Bennett would make a good stretch four for us. I hope he starts and have Tristan and Dion come off the bench for a good spark off the bench.

[tomtucker]

Still not sure what he is. 3 or 4? I guess I see Paul Millsap in him.

nah, i see jason collins in him

[NattyPButter]

Bennett would make a good stretch four for us. I hope he starts and have Tristan and Dion come off the bench for a good spark off the bench.

I don't see Waiters coming off the bench. Wiggins ball handles looks horrible and he can't shoot the 3 well. Dion will be starting and Wiggins will be 6th man until he works on his problems.

[RoundMoundOfReb]

If i were the cavs i'd rather start wiggins and have waiters create off the bench in a crawford/okc harden/manu role

[El Gato Negro]

Griff said during the last game that wig won't play the 2 this year and blatt has said dion will start. so those trying to make dion a bench player keep dreaming. The starting line up as of now looks like KI, dion, wigg, bron, andy.

[RoundMoundOfReb]

What is so bad about being a "bench player"?...It doesn't matter who starts from a team importance POV...If Waiters ends up with a Ginobli role - is that a bad thing?

[I<3NBA]

still not impressed. my thinking on college, d-league and summer league games have always been that they are twice as inferior to NBA games AT MINIMUM. so any stat any player gets there should be halved if their game is to translate into the big boy leagues. a 30 ppg average in summer league would translate into 15 ppg in the NBA, at best. ofc there will always be exceptions. guys like Lebron and Duncan that obviously elevate their game and improve, but overall, ordinary players see their games shrink when they go into the NBA. guys that dominate small boys suddenly find themselves going up against NBA level talent and suddenly, they're not so dominant anymore.

let's wait and see how Bennett does against NBA level defenders. he's playing against kids here. let's see what he does when he's not facing kids anymore.

[Milbuck]

They won't do it, but the Cavs should experiment with a Irving-Waiters-Wiggins-James-Bennett lineup during preseason. Should be unstoppable on offense, and fun as hell to watch.

[navy]

They won't do it, but the Cavs should experiment with a Irving-Waiters-Wiggins-James-Bennett lineup during preseason. Should be unstoppable on offense, and fun as hell to watch.
:biggums:

[russwest0]

yeah lol that lineup would be shit on the glass and on defense and there would be no floor spacing for bran

[BrownEye007]

They won't do it, but the Cavs should experiment with a Irving-Waiters-Wiggins-James-Bennett lineup during preseason. Should be unstoppable on offense, and fun as hell to watch.
Bennetts undersized for a power forward there's no way he plays center. That lineup with Verajao at center might be the best overall lineup for the Cavs. You're right though that lineup would be great offensively.

[BrownEye007]

yeah lol that lineup would be shit on the glass and on defense and there would be no floor spacing for bran
:biggums: Every player in that lineup can shoot threes

[russwest0]

:biggums: Every player in that lineup can shoot threes

:facepalm

bran is used to having a team of mike miller/ray allen/shane battier/james jones/rashard lewis...

I mean hell, Shaq can shoot 3s too, he's just not very good.

[DukeDelonte13]

he still needs to attack the basket more.

He did draws a bunch of fouls off the ball which was nice.

Overall it's a pretty stark difference to where he was at the beginning of last season.

[Buzissa]

He has a good looking jumper.
That's the only thing I get from the video.