Is this the year we find out if Kyle Anderson is a bust or not?

[Spurtacular]

A lot of people on here debating if Kyle Anderson will be a rotation player or not; or what role he'll play; or if he'll be a success or not. Some are saying his summer league success doesn't mean anything while others are saying he's turned a corner. Some say he's too slow and thin. Others say he's got the makings of a poor man's Magic. Others say he's a Diaw protege. Others say he'll do well as Kawhi's back-up. I see validity in all the differing opinions. I'm really fine with waiting and seeing; cos I just don't know. But I think regardless of our opinions, many of us may wonder if this is his year to show us once and for all. So, I ask is this the year we find out if Kyle Anderson is a bust or not?

[SAGirl]

It will be too soon to judge him. This is the actual season where if he's playing he has to show that he can hang in the league. I like him and believe he has NBA level talent. But if he has to go to Austin again, I would not consider it the end of his career either, just because the Spurs bring young guys along slowly. If he's in the rotation is because he earned it and played significantly better than any other guy competing for a spot, but as we know from previous experience, Pop also goes back and forth between guys in the bench and gives opportunities to everyone. So no, I will not judge him harshly this year, but I do want to see improvement and based on what we have seen, he will be better.

To reach his full potential it will take longer as he needs to continue to work on that 3 pt shot and strenghen his body. By all accounts, he still is working hard on his game and realizes that he's still not where they want him to be for the team.

[Spurtacular]

I'm not saying Kyle Anderson has to play gangbusters or realize his full potential. But I do think this is probably the year that Kyle Anderson has to show something to figure in the Spurs long term plans.

[ginobilized]

Next year will probably be the year for KA to take a step forward or be left behind

[Mr.Bottomtooth]

He's still very much a work in progress, but I at least want to see him average about 8-10 minutes a game and, if need be, only be sent to Austin once or twice.

[spurraider21]

Is this the year we find out if Jimmer can succeed in Europe?

[Brian Windhorst]

He just turned 22. He could be going into his senior year in college right now.

[Brian Windhorst]

If he's still not getting minutes in 2016/17 we could start to worry. Anything above replacement-level NBA player that he gives us this year is chicken salad.

[exstatic]

Don't the Spurs have to pick up his year three option before this season? That could be an indicator. They declined James Anderson's.

[benefactor]

Is this the year we find out if Jimmer can succeed in Europe?
Nah...Jimmer will head back to BYU before he goes to Europe. He's got a job and campus god status waiting on him.

[SAGirl]

Don't the Spurs have to pick up his year three option before this season? That could be an indicator. They declined James Anderson's.

I think they will pick him up. In that spurs.com article there is mention of them comparing videos of how he performed in training camp as a rookie and its apparently night and day from where he is at right now. That is all they need to see. You want to see a young guy get better and show improvement. I expect they will want him back. I am with Brian Windhorst, still basically a kid entering senior college year just now, so yea, very young still and already showing signs of improvement.

[Gladney to see you]

He will never be a consistent contributor. He is a guy you(I) root for but I don't see it happening.

[baseline bum]

I think so. He's not 19 and I don't think Manu is going to be able to play a lot of minutes at the three like he did a couple of years ago.

[Nathan89]

He's still in the process of transforming his body so any judgement this year may be too soon.

[K...]

There's too much talent to assume he's gonna stick out. If he's the guy who only makes plays with the ball on his hands then he needs to get into the starting line up or be bench point guy. That's not happening this year. So while a kyle that can shoot from outside and punish mishmatches , if good, the true star we saw in summer league might be a few years away

[wildcardX]

I think he can be a decent contributor with the Spurs. He's had the criticisms at every basketball level he's been in but he's a smart player that has found a way to adjust his game and flourish. Thankfully, the Spurs seem to be more patient with letting these type of players develop into their game. Personally, I don't think he will be a starter in the NBA but he could be a solid player off the bench maybe as early as this year. I think he's past that level of D-league play and should stay with the main team and develop his game at the NBA level around those players, even if it's just in practice.

[Kawhi 5-0]

He was a steal because of how deep in the 1st round we got him. I think what he did this summer was very important. He may be a long term project. Finding a niche for him may not be easy due to
his lack of speed. It may be in his best interest to bulk up and gravitate towards Diaw-esque role. However, the team probably needs him to be a good, solid backup for Kawhi at the present time. He will have to maximize his playing time (like Patty Mills) in order to earn more minutes. If he can extend his range that will also help his chances. Maybe he needs to take a hundred 3s after every practice like Green?

[BD24]

He was a steal because of how deep in the 1st round we got him. I think what he did this summer was very important. He may be a long term project. Finding a niche for him may not be easy due to
his lack of speed. It may be in his best interest to bulk up and gravitate towards Diaw-esque role. However, the team probably needs him to be a good, solid backup for Kawhi at the present time. He will have to maximize his playing time (like Patty Mills) in order to earn more minutes. If he can extend his range that will also help his chances. Maybe he needs to take a hundred 3s after every practice like Green?
I agree with this post. I think Kyles best chance in the NBA is to bulk up and play as a strech 4/point forward. He is just way too slow to guard 3's at this point and speed is something you cant dramatically increase.

[TrainOfThought5]

I dont want to judge him until hes developed an NBA body to go with his NBA IQ. I think hes got a chance to be something very rare in the NBA, but its gonna take a while to see if it will come to fruition.

[Kawhitstorm]

Player are labeled a bust after they actually get decent playing time & are allowed to play through growing pains. Kyle hasn't even played garbage minutes.....

[Raven]

I would not call dumbass if someone started making some decisions, but he didn't really get any real chance so far, and was actually decent to good most of the time.

[Nathan89]

Besides improving his body he could take multiple years to improve his shooting. He could be a much better player with improvements in those two areas.

[Maddog]

Hard to think of a number 30 pick being a bust...

hat said I think this is the year he will need to show he has a niche. His athletic limitations will prevent him from being a star, but has some skills to be a good role player.

so I guess- a qualified yes to the pole.

[DJR210]

Hard to think of a number 30 pick being a bust...

Agreed.

I think it's make or break season for Anderson honestly.. We need some younger guys to step up now and can't afford to wait on 5 year action plans to taste the starting lineup. My expectation for him is not to come in and become the leading scorer next season, but at least come in when called upon and play with some balls.

Not trying to see another repeat of James Anderson, who's biggest problem was small balls, IMO. A couple of injuries later and he was done.

[SAGirl]

Player are labeled a bust after they actually get decent playing time & are allowed to play through growing pains. Kyle hasn't even played garbage minutes.....
:clap:tu So true. This kid was crucified by some in here prematurely.

[Kool Bob Love]

Our future starting SF.

[Kawhitstorm]

Our future starting SF.

He might unseat Porker for the starting point guard role since he's just as quick as nowadays

[Mamuza94]

YES, this is the year when we'll find out that he is NOT a bust.

[Kawhitstorm]

:clap:tu So true. This kid was crucified by some in here prematurely.

:married:

[SAGirl]

:married:
:downspin:Emoji war right? lol

[sasaint]

A lot of people on here debating if Kyle Anderson will be a rotation player or not; or what role he'll play; or if he'll be a success or not. Some are saying his summer league success doesn't mean anything while others are saying he's turned a corner. Some say he's too slow and thin. Others say he's got the makings of a poor man's Magic. Others say he's a Diaw protege. Others say he'll do well as Kawhi's back-up. I see validity in all the differing opinions. I'm really fine with waiting and seeing; cos I just don't know. But I think regardless of our opinions, many of us may wonder if this is his year to show us once and for all. So, I ask is this the year we find out if Kyle Anderson is a bust or not?

This is the best, most balanced posting about Kyle that I have read. We fans have all of these differing opinions, but what matters is how Pop and the other coaches see him. Working with Chip, can the guy develop a good 3 point shot? In the modern NBA can he be effective as a big but slow Magic-like PG? (Pop HAS hidden Tony's defensive deficiencies all these years.) I don't think he will ever be a rotation player as a 3, but can he bulk up without losing what speed he has?��

I think most of us fans, consciously or unconsciously, are burdened by paradigms that blind us to possibilities that the coaching staff can see. We often think of positions as they are currently defined by the skill sets of incumbent players. Fans speculate about who will step into the Beli role or the Manu role or the Parker role. If this forum had existed back in the day, we would have read fans' worries about who would fill the Gervin role. Well, the answer was: nobody. For that matter, who occupied the Diaw role before Boris? Nobody, because we lacked a player with his particular skill set. Different players come along with different skill sets, and coaches have the perspicacity to envision how those diverse skill sets might be integrated into an effective team. Kyle doesn't seem to fit our paradigms or the team as it is currently defined by the skill sets of the current occupants of each position. But moving forward, who is to say how the team will evolve? It is not impossible for me to envision a team where Kyle's skill set re-defines a role, and he becomes a solid contributor. That team would look and play a game that is pretty different from our current style. This year is definitely not a make-or-break season for him, but he does need to show substantial development. And we will get a good idea how the coaching staff wants to see him develop.

[tholdren]

simmons will jump ahead of him in the rotation, u heard it here first
if simmons gets minutes this year 1 of 2 things happened.

1. he improved 500 percent more than summer league
2. spurs want #1 draft pick

[sasaint]

simmons will jump ahead of him in the rotation, u heard it here first

I have my fingers crossed for both players. I would love to see them both develop into solid contributors next year and for years to come. But I do not see these guys competing for the same minutes. Their skill sets are completely different. Opponents and situations will determine their minutes more than head-to-head competition. My hope is that they will become players that complement one another, and they will be on the floor at the same time. For that to happen (except in garbage time) both players would have to show substantial improvement. I hope they do.

[SAGirl]

This is the best, most balanced posting about Kyle that I have read. We fans have all of these differing opinions, but what matters is how Pop and the other coaches see him. Working with Chip, can the guy develop a good 3 point shot? In the modern NBA can he be effective as a big but slow Magic-like PG? (Pop HAS hidden Tony's defensive deficiencies all these years.) I don't think he will ever be a rotation player as a 3, but can he bulk up without losing what speed he has?��

I think most of us fans, consciously or unconsciously, are burdened by paradigms that blind us to possibilities that the coaching staff can see. We often think of positions as they are currently defined by the skill sets of incumbent players. Fans speculate about who will step into the Beli role or the Manu role or the Parker role. If this forum had existed back in the day, we would have read fans' worries about who would fill the Gervin role. Well, the answer was: nobody. For that matter, who occupied the Diaw role before Boris? Nobody, because we lacked a player with his particular skill set. Different players come along with different skill sets, and coaches have the perspicacity to envision how those diverse skill sets might be integrated into an effective team. Kyle doesn't seem to fit our paradigms or the team as it is currently defined by the skill sets of the current occupants of each position. But moving forward, who is to say how the team will evolve? It is not impossible for me to envision a team where Kyle's skill set re-defines a role, and he becomes a solid contributor. That team would look and play a game that is pretty different from our current style. This year is definitely not a make-or-break season for him, but he does need to show substantial development. And we will get a good idea how the coaching staff wants to see him develop.

Good post!! I will go one further and say that it is precisely these kind of players that you can't replace by an equivalent the ones that differentiate one team from another. You could potentially always get yourself another shooter, but high BBIQ passers and playmakers are rare. Kyle has a style of play that is unique. Maybe several so called fans of the team don't like his style, but he can play. He's a tall, long, with an elite passing skill, unselfish style of play, and can handle the basketball. He will do other things to help your team, like rebound at a decent level for his position, get deflections, steals, and blocks. He fills up the stat sheet any way you slice it. Even last year on limited opportunities he recorded contributions in all categories. He's more than just one thing. How do you use that when he's unathletic? We don't know, but he has a skill package the team needs, and he's young enough and still early in his career where you hope for his development as do the spurs who obviously are enthusiastic about his development.

[SAGirl]

I have my fingers crossed for both players. I would love to see them both develop into solid contributors next year and for years to come. But I do not see these guys competing for the same minutes. Their skill sets are completely different. Opponents and situations will determine their minutes more than head-to-head competition. My hope is that they will become players that complement one another, and they will be on the floor at the same time. For that to happen (except in garbage time) both players would have to show substantial improvement. I hope they do.
I am actually very enthusiastic to see them together. They played very well off each other in SL and Austin. Simmons also will need to show he can play in the league, not just Anderson. A group of guys emphatically question Anderson, but just assume Simmons will be able to hang in the NBA. I have been critical of Simmons to some degree only to challenge these easy assumptions. The reality is both guys have to develop and they are exciting to watch playing together and have different skillsets.

[Spurtacular]

simmons will jump ahead of him in the rotation, u heard it here first

You're not at all the first to say that.

[DJR210]

simmons will jump ahead of him in the rotation, u heard it here first

Agreed. Guessing he comes out wanting it more

[~O~]

I don't he can be a bust. I would save that term for players who were in the top ten. Late first round picks are a wild card. He was the 30th pick. If he can't play in the NBA's best basketball system, Anderson's skills can be salvaged by another squad. It'll be aight.

[BG_Spurs_Fan]

Technically he can't be a bust, being drafted so late, but no, it's not this year. It'll be the next two years when he'll have to show he can stick in the NBA.

[Mikeanaro]

Bust? a bust is a top 5 draft player that never delivered, a number 30 pick can work or not but that is not a bust.

[Kawhitstorm]

:downspin:Emoji war right? lol

:bobo

[NickiRasgo]

Didn't know that the word bust is applicable to a #30 draft pick.

[Raven]

draft busts? no...more like another wasted pick that didnt work out

maybe if he was drafted on another team, will have more opportunities and pt

but he was drafted onto a stacked team in competing mode...hard to crack the rotation if he doesnt stand out...

as for simmons...he is probably kawhi/green backup...and when the time comes i can actually see him jump into greens starting job if he doesnt improve his game like inside scoring and layups...
:lol i respectfully lol

[Raven]

Didn't know that the word bust is applicable to a #30 draft pick.

I don't see why not, he was very hyped.

[HarlemHeat37]

Didn't know that the word bust is applicable to a #30 draft pick.

+1..people throw the word "bust" out too much, tbh..

[daledondale]

if anderson doesn't look like an nba playa this year he's done

[DPG21920]

No way IMO. He's still very young, the 30th pick and on a team that actually develops player. So in the first year where he actually projects to be with the big club more than Austin the pressure is that much on? I don't buy it. Anything from Anderson is gravy in a draft sense due to his draft spot.

In terms of contribution, it's a big year, but not make or break entirely. I would say at least 2 more years before that occurs.

[Mr.Bottomtooth]

It wasn't until Cory Joseph's third year that he started to get his game together, so I think putting so much pressure on the second year is a bit much. I want to see Kyle take a rotation spot, but I wouldn't declare him a bust if it doesn't happen. If he still needs a ton of time in Austin, perhaps.