NBA Rumors: Dragan Bender Has Boston Workout Scheduled With Celtics

Dragan Bender will be a busy guy in the final days leading up to the 2016 NBA Draft.

Bender has workouts lined up with the Boston Celtics, Phoenix Suns and Minnesota Timberwolves before the June 23 draft, a source told NBA reporter David Pick. The Celtics, Timberwolves and Suns are slated to pick third, fourth and fifth overall, respectively.

Source: Dragan Bender has workouts scheduled in Minnesota on June 16, Phoenix June 18, and Boston June 21.

— David Pick (@IAmDPick) June 13, 2016

The Boston Globe’s Adam Himmelsbach reported earlier in the day Monday, citing a league source, that Bender is scheduled to be in Boston on June 21 for his workout with the Celtics.

Dragan Bender is scheduled to come to Boston for a workout on June 21, according to a league source.

— Adam Himmelsbach (@AdamHimmelsbach) June 13, 2016

Bender, an 18-year-old Croatian prospect, is one of the most intriguing players available in this year’s draft. He stands 7-foot-1 and has tremendous upside, though he also represents a gamble based on the uncertainty that comes with drafting such a young international player.

In other words, is whichever team that drafts Bender getting a Kristaps Porzingis-type star or the second coming of Darko Milicic?

Ben Simmons and Brandon Ingram most likely will be the first players picked next week by the Philadelphia 76ers and Los Angeles Lakers, who own the top two selections in the draft. But after that, Bender could go anywhere, though most experts expect him to go in the top five.

The Celtics, who currently own eight draft picks (three first-rounders), already saw Bender and other international prospects during a scouting trip to Europe earlier in their offseason.