By Eurohoops team/ info@eurohoops.net
The Phoenix Suns are declining the fourth-year contract option on Dragan Bender’s contract, per Adrian Wojnarowski of ESPN.
“Of course I wish they picked up the option, but I am not going to let this stop me from reaching my goals. I am 20 and I will keep working to make it in this league,” Bender told Wojnarowski on Phoenix not picking up the option for 2019-2020 on his contract.
Bender, 20, was selected with the #4 overall pick by the Suns in 2016. He was evaluated as an elite European prospect with a notable skillset for his height (7 ft. 1 in. now) and a very high upside. In 2017-2018, his first season where he played in all 82 matches, the Croatian big averaged 6.5 points, 4.4 rebounds and 1.6 assists over 25.2 minutes per game.
On the contrary, the Nuggets announced that they have picked up the fourth-year option in Spaniard Juancho Hernangomez’s contract.