Bender mustered 10 points (2-3 FG, 1-2 3Pt, 5-7 FT), five rebounds and one assist across 18 minutes during the Suns' 115-93 preseason loss to the Trail Blazers on Friday.

EDGE Analysis

One game after going scoreless over nine minutes versus New Zealand, Bender drained his first two buckets of preseason and remained aggressive, leading to plenty of visits to the charity stripe. The 2016 fourth overall pick has often underwhelmed by a significant margin over his first two seasons, and he hadn't exactly gotten his preseason off to a good start prior to Friday. However, he still projects as the top backup to new acquisition Ryan Anderson at the four, although offseason arrival Richaun Holmes could certainly press him for that spot if Bender fails to remain consistent.

Bender finished with just five points and five rebounds in eight minutes during Friday's 90-55 summer league victory over the Spurs.

EDGE Analysis

Bender saw limited playing time in a game that saw plenty of minutes for the bench guys. To say he has had an underwhelming summer league would be putting it nicely. He has shown very little for the coaching staff to get excited about and there is a very real chance he has fallen behind some of the younger guys and is a chance of falling out of the rotation altogether.

Bender managed 15 points (5-6 FG, 3-4 3Pt, 2-3 FT), 13 rebounds, three assists and two blocks during Tuesday's 124-97 win at Dallas.

EDGE Analysis

This was Bender's second straight double-double as he concluded the season in a strong way Tuesday. The Croatia native appeared in every game for the Suns this year and averaged 6.5 points, 4.4 rebounds and 1.6 assists during his second NBA season with the Suns.

Bender posted 14 points (6-13 FG, 2-7 3Pt), 14 rebounds and two assists across 41 minutes in Sunday's 117-100 loss to the Warriors.

EDGE Analysis

Bender has come alive as the season winds down, exhibiting a level of offensive usage that fantasy owners waited all season to see. The 2016 fourth overall pick has now taken double-digit shot attempts in back-to-back games for the first time this season, and he's generated a trio of 14-point efforts over the first four games of April. He's been as impressive on the glass as on the scoreboard during that stretch, hauling in between seven and Sunday's 14 rebounds over that four-game sample. It's essentially a case of too little, too late for fantasy purposes at this stage, but the second-year big certainly makes for an intriguing DFS play in the Suns' final game of the season Tuesday against the Mavericks.

Bender posted 14 points (5-10 FG, 4-8 3Pt), eight rebounds, an assist and a blocked shot in 33 minutes during Friday's 122-103 loss to the Pelicans.

EDGE Analysis

Bender drew the start on Friday as he's done often this season while the Suns dealt with injuries and lineup changes for most of the campaign. At only 19 -years-old, the young Croatian has a ton of potential and will be one of the key pieces Phoenix will build with next season. at 7-1, he's a multi-faceted talent who has great perimeter flexibility and can put up shots from beyond the arc as well as any small forward. If you are in a keeper or dynasty league Bender might end up overlooked, but his value will only increase with more experience.

Bender produced eight points (3-7 FG, 1-5 3Pt, 1-2 FT), seven rebounds and two blocks across 21 minutes in Tuesday's 97-94 win over the Kings.

EDGE Analysis

The 20-year-old forward had a solid shooting effort for the third straight contest after an extended stretch of some nightmarish offensive performances. The 2016 fourth overall pick still generates modest scoring totals more often than not, but his rebound production has remained fairly consistent. Factoring in Tuesday's production, he's hauled in between six and 10 boards in seven of the last 10 contests.

Bender mustered just three points (1-7 FG, 1-6 3Pt) but added 10 rebounds, two blocks and one steal across 34 minutes in Monday's 102-94 loss to the Celtics.

EDGE Analysis

Bender continues to struggle with his shot, as he's now gone just 3-for-18 from the field over the last three -- including 2-for-14 from distance. The second-year pro has shot under 40.0 percent in six of the last seven overall, which has helped lead to a paltry average of 5.7 points in 12 March contests. His one saving grace has been rebounding, as he's posted between five and 10 boards in six of the last seven games. Despite his struggles, coach Jay Triano appears intent on keeping him on the first unit alongside fellow sophomore big Marquese Chriss in the frontcourt.

Bender generated seven points (2-5 FG, 1-4 3Pt, 2-2 FT), six rebounds, two assists and one steal across 29 minutes in Thursday's 116-88 loss to the Jazz.

EDGE Analysis

Bender saw a slight drop in offensive usage compared to the last two games, contests in which he'd put up eight and nine shot attempts, respectively. The 20-year-old has back-to-back seven-point efforts after having posted 16 points three games ago against the Hornets, although he was able to make up for his shortfall somewhat Thursday with his work on the boards. Bender should continue seeing a solid allotment of minutes for the balance of the regular season, but fantasy owners shouldn't count on anything more than rebounds from him on a night-to-night basis, as his offensive production and role tend to fluctuate pretty consistently.

Bender tallied six points (2-5 FG, 2-5 3Pt) and four rebounds across 25 minutes in Wednesday's 107-97 loss to the Jazz.

EDGE Analysis

Bender got into foul trouble, helping lead to his second straight lackluster line. The 20-year-old's production has been all over the map this season -- including in February's modest sample -- as he's posted four double-digit scoring efforts and another three single-digit tallies. Moreover, his first-unit role is far from secure, considering that former starter Marquese Chriss could be reinserted back into the starting five on any given night. Bender has seen some time as center as well, however, so he should continue to see a decent allotment of minutes irrespective of which scenario plays out.

Updating a previous note, Bender will start at power forward Wednesday against the Jazz, Scott Bordow of AZCentral.com reports.

EDGE Analysis

It was initially reported that Bender would move up to center in the absence of Tyson Chandler, but the Suns will, in fact, start him at his usual power forward spot, with Alex Len entering the mix at the five. Expect Bender to play close to his usual complement of minutes, as he appears to have supplanted Marquese Chriss in the rotation for the time being.