NBA Rumors: Former No. 1 Pick Gets Waived After Buyout

NBA rumors have a former No. 1 pick getting waived by his new team. These NBA rumors show just how much the Cleveland Cavaliers may have overrated Anthony Bennett when making him the first selection of the 2013 NBA Draft. A report from Yahoo! Sports states that the Minnesota Timberwolves have come to terms with the forward on a buyout that immediately removed him from the active roster.

As soon as Bennett clears waivers, he will be free to sign with any other team in the league. It’s possible that he could provide depth for a team needing another player off the bench, but there aren’t too many franchises that have the extra money to spend this offseason.

Teams that have already been linked to Anthony Bennett through various NBA rumors include the Portland Trail Blazers, Cleveland Cavaliers, Philadelphia 76ers, and the Utah Jazz. The Cavaliers have a trade exception that could be used to absorb a salary for Bennett, while the other three franchises still have open space to offer a deal under the salary cap. A team like the Blazers could certainly use another young player with potential, while the Cavs could look to bring Bennett back for another try.

With the No. 1 pick of the 2013 NBA Draft, the Cleveland Cavaliers selected Anthony Bennett out of UNLV. It was a shocking selection at the time, going against what most NBA analysts had predicted the Cavaliers would do with the first pick. During his first season in the league, Bennett struggled quite a bit, averaging just 4.2 points and 3.0 rebounds per game. He played in only 12.8 minutes a night in his rookie season, shooting just 35.6 percent from the field. Bennett was not the impact player that Cavs fans had hoped to see, and did not play well in his only season with Cleveland.

As part of a three-team deal during the 2014 NBA offseason, Bennett and Andrew Wiggins were traded to the Minnesota Timberwolves in exchange for Kevin Love. Bennett saw more playing time with the Wolves, but still only averaged 5.2 points, 3.8 rebounds, and 15.7 minutes per game. With the depth at the forward positions that Minnesota now has, the team didn’t need to keep Bennett on the roster any longer. Terms of a buyout of his contract were reached, and now he has been placed on waivers. Over the next 48 hours, more NBA rumors will likely surface about his next possible destination.

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