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Anthony Bennett in an ideal situation to shed the bust label?

By Andrew Melnick

Feb 21, 2014; Toronto, Ontario, CAN; Cleveland Cavaliers forward Anthony Bennett (15) watches a free throw next to Toronto Raptors forward John Salmons (25) at Air Canada Centre. The Raptors beat the Cavaliers 98-91. Mandatory Credit: Tom Szczerbowski-USA TODAY Sports
Feb 21, 2014; Toronto, Ontario, CAN; Cleveland Cavaliers forward Anthony Bennett (15) watches a free throw next to Toronto Raptors forward John Salmons (25) at Air Canada Centre. The Raptors beat the Cavaliers 98-91. Mandatory Credit: Tom Szczerbowski-USA TODAY Sports /
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Many were surprised when the Cleveland Cavaliers made Anthony Bennett the number one overall pick of the 2013 NBA Draft. After a poor rookie year, Bennett only reinforced those beliefs. This weekend, Bennett will get a fresh start when he officially becomes a member of the Minnesota Timberwolves.

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Now that he is in Minnesota, John Zitzler of Basketball Insiders believes Bennett is now in an ideal situation to thrive and grow as a player.

"Bennett doesn’t appear ready to accept that label quite yet. This summer, he impressed with the Cavs in the Las Vegas Summer League, particularly with his physique as he looked noticeably trimmer. It is evident he has worked tremendously hard to get his conditioning up, which should allow him to play longer and more consistent minutes. Last offseason, Bennett was injured for a long stretch and missed summer league, which may have contributed to his struggles. Now, Bennett is healthy, in shape and set to get a fresh start in Minnesota this upcoming season following the Kevin Love swap. As the young Timberwolves began to move on from Love, there will be plenty of opportunities for minutes and shots. This is an ideal situation for Bennett to step into and continue to grow as a player."

Bennett obviously didn’t have the rookie year he he wanted but he was injured, missing training camp and fell behind early. He looked like a much better player in the Las Vegas Pro Summer League and although he may not ever live up to his billing as the number one overall pick, he should become a much better player next season. Bennett averaged 4.2 points and 3.0 rebounds per game while shooting 35.6% from the field, 24.5% from beyond the arc and 63.8% from the free throw line.

Be sure to check FanSided’s official NBA page to keep up to date on the latest news and rumors from around the league all summer long.

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