Nets waive Anthony Bennett, former No. 1 overall pick
Brooklyn Nets forward Anthony Bennett looks on against the Washington Wizards in the second half of an NBA basketball game at Barclays Center on Monday, Dec. 5, 2016. Credit: Kathleen Malone-Van Dyke
The Nets waived former No. 1 overall pick Anthony Bennett on Monday.
Bennett, 23, signed a two-year deal with the Nets on July 14, but played in just 23 games this season, including one start, and averaged 5.0 points and 3.4 rebounds in 11.5 minutes per game. He also spent time with the Nets’ D-League affiliate, the Long Island Nets.
“He was a good professional. He did everything we asked,” Nets coach Kenny Atkinson said on Monday. “This gives him an opportunity ... to have a possibility with other teams. It also gives us a roster spot.”
Bennett, a power forward from UNLV, was selected No. 1 overall by the Cavaliers in the 2013 draft. He played in just 52 games for the Cavaliers in the 2013-14 season, averaging 4.2 points and 3 rebounds per game. He spent the 2014-15 season with the Timberwolves, appearing in 57 games, including three starts, and averaged 5.2 points and 3.8 rebounds. Bennett played with the Raptors in 2015-16, but appeared in just 19 games, averaging 1.5 points and 1.2 rebounds.
