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    Former lottery pick Bender agrees to deal with Maccabi Tel Aviv

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    Free agent forward/center Dragan Bender has agreed to a contract with Israeli club Macabbi Tel Aviv, according to international basketball reporter Nemanja Žorič .

    Bender, 22, is 7-foot-0 and was selected by the Phoenix Suns with the fourth overall pick in the 2016 draft. He played with the Suns until last summer, when he entered free agency and signed with the Milwaukee Bucks.

    The Bucks then waived him in February, when he signed a 10-day deal with the Golden State Warriors. Bender scored 13 points and grabbed nine rebounds in his Warriors debut against the Suns, the team that drafted him.

    The native Croatian carries NBA career averages of 5.4 points and 3.9 rebounds in 187 appearances.

    He played with Tel Aviv for seven games in the 2015-16 before coming to the NBA. This time, he will be joining former Cleveland Cavaliers center Ante Zizic in the Tel Aviv frontcourt. Former NBA forward Omri Casspi and shooting guard Tyler Dorsey also play for Tel Aviv.

    Bender will be replacing free agent center Quincy Acy, who did not re-sign with the club.

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