Kyle Anderson joined the Golden State Warriors last year hoping to continue his rich playoff history, having now seen his team reach the postseason in eight of his 11-year NBA career.
The veteran forward did make the playoffs last season, but not in the way he may have envisioned after signing a three-year, $27 million contract with the Warriors while joining the franchise in the Klay Thompson sign-and-trade.
Anderson’s experience, versatility and high IQ was supposed to be a great fit in the Golden State system, yet he was never able to able to find his footing in just 36 appearances where he averaged 15 minutes per game.
Kyle Anderson’s short-term outlook doesn’t look great
Anderson was part of the blockbuster Jimmy Butler trade in February, finding himself at the Miami Heat alongside Andrew Wiggins. It’s Miami though right — not a bad place to end up given the lifestyle and the franchise remaining in perrenial playoff contention.
The 31-year-old saw a slight uptick in his minutes and overall production, while the Heat made the playoffs even if they were promptly swept by the No. 1 seed Cleveland Cavaliers. Remaining in Miami would have been reasonable, but instead Anderson quickly found himself on the move again when the offseason began.
The three-team trade centered around Norman Powell and John Collins saw Anderson head to the Utah Jazz — hardly the place a veteran wants to end up given the franchise’s obvious current stature as the worst team in the Western Conference.
While Anderson could provide leadership and experience to a young Jazz roster, there’s otherwise very little reason for him to be there. That’s already led to speculation on a potential buyout, making him an interesting target for contending teams if he becomes available on a minimum contract.
Having the ability to once again contribute on a playoff-level team could be a nice career recovery after a less than desirable last 12 months, but Anderson’s own contract may cause a problem in that taking place.
It’s easy to forget that he still has $19 million remaining on his contract, though the final contract year is non-guaranteed. That might make it more difficult for both parties to agree to a buyout, particularly when the Jazz have already done so with Jordan Clarkson who subsequently joined the New York Knicks in free agency.
If Utah are going to agree to a buyout with a player, fellow veteran forward Kevin Love will probably take priority. It leaves Anderson’s short-term future in an interesting position, but the Warriors can at least take credit for seemingly moving on at the right time.
