Philadelphia 76ers should keep tabs on Dragan Bender this season

The former No. 4 pick could be a reasonable long-term gamble for the Philadelphia 76ers.

Deandre Ayton isn’t the first top pick the Phoenix Suns have invested in their frontcourt. In the 2016 NBA Draft, the Suns went all-out, selecting Dragan Bender with the fourth pick and trading for Marquese Chriss, the eighth pick.

Now, just two years later, Chriss has been traded to the Rockets in a move that saved Houston money. Bender is still with Phoenix, but his leash may be getting shorter. The Suns are looking to compete, and Bender hasn’t shown enough to warrant optimism at this point.

Last season, while not overly impressive, was at least a step in the right direction for Bender. He averaged 6.5 points and 4.4 rebounds in 25.2 minutes per game, all sizable increases over his rookie season.

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But that was during the Suns’ rebuild — a year in which they led the league in losing. Their focus was shifted toward young assets, affording Bender opportunities he’ll no longer get if his play doesn’t improve.

With Ryan Anderson and Trevor Ariza expected to spend considerable time at the four spot, Bender could be phased out of the rotation entirely. Ayton will get big minutes at the five and Tyson Chandler is still a serviceable reserve.

So that leaves the Suns in a tricky position. Do they continue to invest in Bender’s long-term upside, or do they move on?

If Bender finds himself on the market, the Philadelphia 76ers should be on the phone. Brett Brown’s squad will be competing for a spot in the Eastern Conference Finals, but there’s always reason to invest in talented young pieces.

Bender still has plenty of upside. He improved his three-point percentage to 36.6 last season, which is more in line with pre-draft expectations. He’s also 21, meaning he still has several years before his peak. There’s time to develop into a quality player.

The Sixers have some young, lower-upside pieces that Phoenix might be interested in. Jonah Bolden, Furkan Korkmaz and Landry Shamet all come to mind. But ideally, the Sixers could cut ties with Jerryd Bayless (if he’s still on the opening night roster), allowing them to invest draft capital instead.

We’ve seen the price for underperforming top picks experience a steep decline in recent years. Last season, the Suns traded for Elfrid Payton, giving up just a second-round pick in return. Jahlil Okafor is a thing. Bender might be worth more than one second rounder, but giving up a couple low-level picks would be worth it.

Bender came into the league as one of the youngest players in his class — a skilled stretch big with burgeoning offensive potential. The hype has plateaued in recent years, but the talent and upside is very much alive.

Spacing is important for the Sixers, and grooming Bender into Embiid’s backup would be an ideal situation. He can play behind Amir Johnson and Mike Muscala this season, then begin to increase his role over time.

As for his contract, Bender would be a low-risk investment. He’s set to be paid $4.6 million this season, with $5.8 million on the docket in 2019-20. The latter season is a team option, though, so the Sixers can cut ties if things don’t work out.

If things do work out, he’s a former top-four pick on a friendly contract. He would also be eligible for restricted free agency in the summer of 2020, allowing the Sixers to match any offers.

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If Bender stagnates in Phoenix — which seems like a distinct possibility given the direction of that franchise — throwing him into the Sixers’ developmental system could be worthwhile. He’s the kind of long-term gamble the Sixers, as young as they are, should still be thinking about.