When Dragan Bender was drafted No. 4 overall in the 2016 NBA Draft by the Phoenix Suns, many applauded it, but cautioned of how the 7’1” Croatian fits a “project” label. Bender was known not only as a plus defender who could switch onto guards in a pinch, but he had a developable skill set ranging from three-point prowess to savvy passing ability when he arrived from Maccabi Tel Aviv.
Versatility has become even more valuable in today’s league, and Bender was supposed to fill that type of role in some team’s frontcourt.
The Suns completely bought into this notion by not only selecting Bender, but then trading up for the similarly versatile Marquese Chriss, using valuable draft capital from the Markieff Morris trade.