Is it in the Spurs best interest to play Anderson at PG?

[lurker23]

In the early portions of this season, a lot of people have been calling for Kyle Anderson to play more minutes at the point guard position. At first glance, this makes a lot of sense. Everyone wants to see more of Anderson and what he can do, and given his collegiate experience, it seems more time at the point would make for the smoothest/easiest transition.

However, the Spurs have had opportunities to do this (either due to rest, a brief injury to Cory Joseph, or the ability to send KA to Austin), but seem reluctant to give him extended playing time at the 1. Why? Perhaps because the Spurs don't need another point guard.

Tony Parker and Patty Mills will be around a few more years, and perhaps Cory Joseph will as well. What the Spurs need more than a fourth point guard is a true backup to Kawhi Leonard, as well as someone who can perhaps play some minutes at small ball 4 in the Boris Diaw role. If this is the Spurs long-term plan for Anderson, it would make more sense to take the hard road, giving him all his minutes at the 3/4 until he gets comfortable with the position, rather than confuse him by dangling the PG carrot in his direction.

Anyway, just a working theory, and I'm curious what others think.

P.S.- If Kyle Anderson plays 25 minutes of point guard against the Sixers tonight, forget this thread ever happened. :lol

[SnakeBoy]

I think it is in the Spurs best interest to get KA some playing time regardless of position.

[elemento]

Since day 1 I believe that he will be a PG in SAS system, but he will play off the bench leading the 2nd unit.

He is our future Manu (not saying he is as talented as Manu, but that's pretty much the role I envision for him in the future)

[Richie]

He will probably get beaten off the dribble by most power forwards and you want him defending Derrick Rose, Russell Westbrook and Steph Curry?

[KL2]

I don't know about him at the 3/4, I think he's just going to get bullied until he fills out, which could take years. I really do want him playing point, when I see this guy the word that immediately comes to my mind is "MISMATCH" with his size and unique skill set, he could really be a match up nightmare at the point. I want to see what sorts of lineup combos the Spurs can come up with him out there.

Splitter-7'0
Diaw-6'9
Leonard-6'7
Green-6'6
Anderson-6'9

That's some ridiculous size out there, who knows who else we can add during the draft or free agency in these upcoming years.

Anderson also seems to be a far superior passer to Cojo/Mills.

[Hoops Czar]

He will probably get beaten off the dribble by most power forwards and you want him defending Derrick Rose, Russell Westbrook and Steph Curry?

Russell Westbrook and Steph Curry would destroy KA and that's putting it mildly.

[Malik Hairston]

Russell Westbrook and Steph Curry would destroy KA and that's putting it mildly.

That's what he was implying, you fucking moron:lmao..

[ChumpDumper]

I believe he's going to play forward. He's not Magic nor young Boris.

[100%duncan]

Kyle is very raw. Going to be an experiment season for him obviously. He doesn't have the quickness to guard the other's teams pgs and the strength to power in the post.

[Hoops Czar]

That's what he was implying, you fucking moron:lmao..

When I ask for your insight Rogues, I'll seek it out. Right now, my toilet bowl's clean.

[wildcardX]

Hard to say what position the Spurs will try to use him at. I think for now it may be as the backup SF behind Kawhi but who knows in a year when possibly Bertans or Jean Charles comes over. He may compete with Cojo for the backup PG spot while Mills takes more the SG role.

[Mel_13]

Once Patty returns, KA will get extended time in Austin. We'll get an idea what the Spurs plan to do with him then.

[BillMc]

Also, of course, what position he plays on offense doesn't mean he'll play it on defense. He may be the initiator of the offense (effectively the 1) but as others have noted there is no way he can defend an elite point guard at the NBA level. We'll have to hide him guarding 3's or 4's (and unathletic ones at that.)

OP's post is very interesting though. Hopefully we'll see a lot of KA running the show tonight.

[Beaverfuzz]

Nope, trade this fucker for a bag of basketballs.

[cd021]

I'd like to see them try to play him at PF. If he can handle banging with other 4's then he could have an advantage on offense.

[cd021]

Its doubtful that he will ever play PG in the NBA. He can be the primary play maker on offense but that doesn't mean he is the PG. He will almost certainly be guarding a forward or maybe a 2 guard that can't shoot.

[hater]

it's not a question and you forgot to add FOR THE TOROS at the end

[cjw]

I don't know about him at the 3/4, I think he's just going to get bullied until he fills out, which could take years. I really do want him playing point, when I see this guy the word that immediately comes to my mind is "MISMATCH" with his size and unique skill set, he could really be a match up nightmare at the point. I want to see what sorts of lineup combos the Spurs can come up with him out there.

Splitter-7'0
Diaw-6'9
Leonard-6'7
Green-6'6
Anderson-6'9

That's some ridiculous size out there, who knows who else we can add during the draft or free agency in these upcoming years.

Anderson also seems to be a far superior passer to Cojo/Mills.

That lineup would allow for Green to guard the PG and with Leonard being able to guard 80% of guys in the league position-wise, as well as Diaw/Splitter's flexibility, you could easily hide Anderson the worst offensive threat on the other team regardless of which position he plays. The big variables there would be how Diaw and Splitter (wrong side of 30 now) age.

[ohmwrecker]

Anderson needs to bulk up a bit and play point forward. Like a less athletic prime Lamar Odom. He can't guard PGs. SF or small ball 4 is his position.

[ElNono]

I think y'all are going wrong about this. Kyle will be a SF and the Spurs will play him at that position because that's where they want to develop him. With Marco's return, his minutes are now basically almost non-existent.

[Raven]

i think they want to fix his shot first and make it reliable, so he can contribute before he needs to lead anything. If/when he does that, the debate is on, until then i doubt they want to overthink it.

[Raven]

That lineup would allow for Green to guard the PG and with Leonard being able to guard 80% of guys in the league position-wise, as well as Diaw/Splitter's flexibility, you could easily hide Anderson the worst offensive threat on the other team regardless of which position he plays. The big variables there would be how Diaw and Splitter (wrong side of 30 now) age.

the problem is that he'd get to face pgs in isos and they can probably steal him anyday. Then again, that may not be the case and then yes, it would be a massive missmatch as long as the long dick duo is taking care of the guards.

[lurker23]

I think it is in the Spurs best interest to get KA some playing time regardless of position.


Once Patty returns, KA will get extended time in Austin. We'll get an idea what the Spurs plan to do with him then.

I agree that they should find a way to get more on-court time for Anderson, one way or another. I think he'll spend a fair amount of time in Austin, and perhaps even before Patty's return (I suspect part of the reason for his extended stretch on the big club is so he can bond with the rest of the team on the extended road trip). As Mel said, we'll see what the Spurs do when they send him to Austin, but I think playing a lot of minutes at small forward is the best bet.

[100%duncan]

KA has been wasting his opportunities for PT tbh. Patty will return in more or less 1 month and he'll get glued to the bench behind the 2 scrubs Daye and errors.

[ceperez]

I've got no confidence with CoJo with regards to setting up the offense. He typically resets the offense, dribbles away time doing nothing and on occasion stumbles into a crowd of defenders.

Belinelli is a bit better but still makes all sorts of mistakes. In the last game, he didn't give Baynes enough time to set a screen leading into a offensive foul.

Patty Mills is a SG, he can create offense for himself but I can't see him being a threat as a drive and kick player.

Green can't play PG, doesn't have the handles.

In summary, the pickings are very slim at PG for the Spurs in the future. In fact, the best PG for the Spurs outside of Parker and Ginobili would be Diaw.

The problem with Anderson right now is that he needs to have the ball to be effective.

[aal04]

Hes not running point.

1. Hes a slow player. Pop. Loves fast PGs. Parker, mills, Joseph. All 3 are a copy of each other.

2. We are stacked at PG.

3. Hes a tall smart player. Hes gonna be Diaw 2.0

[Texas_Ranger]

No, he doesn't look good tbh. I'd like to see him get some playing time with Ausin like Cojo did.

[SupremeGuy]

The most important thing for him is to develop his shot, tbh.

[wildbill2u]

I'd like to see them try to play him at PF. If he can handle banging with other 4's then he could have an advantage on offense.
First poster with the right answer. :toast

He's way too slow to play PG or even SF or SG. Basketball reference lists him at 6'9' AND 230--- although he looks skinnier than that to me. But he will bulk up naturally as he ages and that, plus his lack of footspeed, moves him into the PF role like Diaw is playing presently. Good passing and rebounding and an improvement in his shooting can make him a career as a PF.

[Cowboys_Wear_Spurs]

Anderson needs to tone up, work on his lateral movement, fix his shot mechanics, and learn to post.

He will be a small ball PF. He is 6'9, so he can play the position. He is a smart player and I think he will improve in all those areas. Problem for him is he played PG throughout his college tenure and he doesn't have the speed to play it in the NBA. But he does have the size and length to play point forward.

[ChumpDumper]

Anderson played SF in the D-League game. Less of a liability than you might expect. Did a decent job guarding a 6'5" player.

[superbigtime]

Hard to be impressed with what I've seen so far tbh. However, Sean loves him so I'm giving him the benefit of the doubt this year.

[playblair]

slowmo = pg................slowmo proving he deserves to play pg...................playandersonpg

[maverick1948]

Early Dec NO!!! Late March HELL YES!!!!!!!

[Kikoluna]

It's in the benefit of the spurs to cut him.

[LakerHater]

Kinda like how Crymond Green does!

[cutewizard]

point forward of the future......................!!!

[Obstructed_View]

Not sure how having him play point with Mills or Green as the shooting guard isn't a good way to go.