Phoenix Suns: 5 goals for Dragan Bender in 2017-18

2. Be aggressive on offense

“Confidence” and “aggressive” are the two words that come up most often whenever the conversation shifts to what Dragan Bender needs to reach the next level. For most of his rookie season, he looked like a deer in the headlights, especially on the offensive end.

For a power forward with playmaking skills, a high basketball I.Q. and a developing 3-point stroke, being tentative is the quickest way to lose Watson’s trust.

Even on a roster where the path is seemingly paved to playing time, Bender will have to earn it. The minutes will come as long as he stays healthy, but the next step is being more assertive on the offensive end like he was at Summer League.

Improving his efficiency will come with time, as his 39.4 percent shooting from the field and 28.6 percent shooting at NBA Summer League showed. But even without the accuracy, Bender was one of the Suns’ standout players, averaging 14.2 points, 6.0 rebounds and 2.4 assists per game.

The offense ran through him at times, he didn’t hesitate to look for his own shot and he still managed to bring his trademark defense on the other end, particularly when it came to switching onto ball-handlers in the pick-and-roll.

He doesn’t need to be a 20 points per game scorer (in this season or in the future), nor does he need to be a legitimate point forward. But as vague as it may seem, “be more aggressive” is a legitimate goal for a young player with as much potential as Bender has.