Too early for Kyle Anderson expectations?

[Seventyniner]

Eh, I think Anderson could be the same type of defender Jackson was. Kyle has the tools to do so, but he lacks the mentality to muddy up the game. He has the length to swallow a player whole in a phonebooth, so if the Spurs can keep him off an island, I think he'll be fine, even at the two.

It also depends on the matchup. I think Kyle can guard someone like Joe Johnson or present-day Wade, but he would get absolutely torched by Korver. I don't trust Kyle to fight through screens well enough.

[HarlemHeat37]

It also depends on the matchup. I think Kyle can guard someone like Joe Johnson or present-day Wade, but he would get absolutely torched by Korver. I don't trust Kyle to fight through screens well enough.

Well fortunately, if he enters the rotation next year, it will probably be a 10 MPG role where he's guarding opposing bench players..gives him time to develop and get his feet wet in a great defensive system, at least..

If he's replacing Marco, it's not like the Spurs are losing anything on D..I'm more interested in seeing how he looks as a playmaker, as that is potentially a big need for the Spurs right now..having another guy that can put the ball on the floor once in a while would be nice, and while you can't expect too much from a 2nd year player, it shouldn't be too difficult in a 9th or 10th man role..

Filling in for regular season minutes is a much different animal than playoff games..playing against a lot of average and bad teams, the games are less intense, etc..he could be needed just to alleviate and buy some long-term resT for Manu/Parker/Diaw as a playmaker on some nights, at least IMO..

Adding a veteran scorer like West would be huge for Anderson, too IMO..the less pressure and more peripheral options, the better..

[Seventyniner]

^Good point about Kyle being at least as good on D as Beli. Beli was bad on D against SGs and worse against SFs, while Kyle would benefit by beng able to slide up a position.

He needs shooters and cutters around him to be effective on offense though. Ironically, Beli would be perfect for that. Manu and Green would be good enough.

I just don't see the need for Kyle to play SG if Manu comes back unless injury strikes. He's better suited as a SF or PF on defense against most teams, especially those with bench shooters at SG who like to curl around picks.

[Mugen]

I expect Fathead to eat up some minutes in the regular season next year before teams take advantage of his below average athleticism in the playoffs. Perfectly fine with that scenario tbh.

[south side spur]

Denmon is still in the program? Why haven't they cut bait with that guy? I guess they're hoping he's a Gary Neal type.

[ceperez]

Spursfan are in for a pleasant surprise imo. The dude is really skilled and utilizes his dribble, spins, putting his should into his defender, and length to make up for his slowness.

What's not to like with his play against the Blazers:

[Mr.Bottomtooth]

A preseason game, but decent reference for his vision and shooting ability. The guy has the IQ to make it, and the team has been impressed with his work ethic so far. He'll be good .

[ceperez]

A preseason game, but decent reference for his vision and shooting ability. The guy has the IQ to make it, and the team has been impressed with his work ethic so far. He'll be good .

You can tell the difference between his preseason game and the in season game. He's getting better. He's got the skills and IQ to be a very difficult match up for many teams. I'll take my chances with Anderson over resigning Cojo.

[FuzzyLumpkins]

Count me among the skeptical. I don't expect him to be a positive contributor, which is not necessarily the same as getting playing time.

I think he's a bigger Kendall Marshall. Enough skills to play, but so athletically poor that he'll never be a reliable contributor on a contender, because in the playoffs his defense will be abused even more. Marshall has been on 4 teams and waived 4 times. But he had the skills to be a lottery pick, he just couldn't hang athletically. That's Anderson.

He might be saved the indignity of multiple trades and waives because San Antonio won't have the salary to push around in trades, but he has that bad combination of being slow and lacking hustle. Moving like Mr Burns through jello is one thing, but there were plays in his brief on court time when he sure looked like he was taking defense off or not getting back with the full extent of his limited top speed. Has he gotten over himself enough to recognize that his career is in jeopardy if he doesn't go 100%? He sure seemed en led, going through the whole draft process carrying too much body fat when he know everyone was doubting his speed, talking about how he'll never slip to the spurs, etc.

Maybe in summer league without having to feature Austin Daye and Jeff Ayres and with a leaner body he'll show proof that he wants to succeed and goes as hard as his body allows. Because if he suffers under the belief that he's so good he doesn't have to lower himself to be a hustle guy every play like so many are forced to be (and caused Green to be cut once), if he thinks that just because he was some big shot at UCLA he deserves the ball in his hands every play like he's Magic, if he isn't willing to do everything at all times then he'll be joining former 2nd round pick Marcus Williams in Europe after being a d-league superstar.

That just means he merits a bench role to me. He would need lots of help versus some starting 3's out there like George or KD. That is the case with most players though. Not even 10 people in the league are suitable for frontline minutes at the 3 on a contender.

Also watching him play against NBAers last year my concern wasn't his speed. It was his strength. He would cower on rotations and shy from contact in the lane. He got pushed around more than he did get blown by on defense. I thought he was better in the lateral agility department than advertised.

Don't see the hustle thing at all.

[FuzzyLumpkins]

It's never too early for expectations. I would set a goal for him to crack the rotation and improve in what areas the league leading player development program sets for him. Projecting stats and minutes is fantasy bball nonsense.

[024]

His shot is soooo slow. The Spurs desperately need a playmaker and wing off the bench but I don't expect anything from him. I saw nothing from his last season that suggests he will become a legitimate NBA player soon. Maybe he can show flashes during summer league.

[Mr. Body]

It also depends on the matchup. I think Kyle can guard someone like Joe Johnson or present-day Wade, but he would get absolutely torched by Korver. I don't trust Kyle to fight through screens well enough.

Right. It's not staying in front of guys that is the big problem for him, it's getting around screens, where he gets killed.

[SAGirl]

In some of his dleague games I saw him hit a Cutting man with a pass while in the middle of a drive. You get the impression that other guys will get easy shots if they stay active off the ball. He's a very willing passer and he will pass to a cutter almost every time. Dleague defense is awful at times though so some of his passes will not be there. He probably will be encouraged to shoot by defenders.

[picnroll]

Sam Cassel was a damn good player and probably about as slow as Anderson. Anderson has a lot of the quile of Cassel just needs Cassel's quick release and shooting accuracy of Cassel

[TD 21]

Summer League and training camp/preseason will tell whether it's too early or not, but I don't see that as the issue so much as I just don't see him as a good fit next to Ginobili. The wing opposite him needs to be a knockdown three point shooter. The fact that he can't defend or cross match defensively doesn't help either.

This is why a spot up shooter makes sense and like it or not, when all you've got to offer for that role is the minimum and you're trying to win a championship, odds are it'll be a veteran one, along the lines of Delfino or R. Butler.

[LongtimeSpursFan]

I'm willing to bet Kyle Anderson will average 25 fanduel points a game or I'll ban myself from ever posting again. Also, Kyle is the best Spurs player wearing a uniform with the name 'Anderson' on the back of jersey.

[EVAY]

His long stride can work to offset his slow foot speed because it throws off the defender's timing and creates separation for his shot.

Concern I have about that is that your observation is true for the first two, maybe three times a team sees him. Then the defense adjusts and, I fear, he will either get his dribble picked off or the defender adjusts and meets him before he ever gets to the rim. In the playoffs, particularly, it seems to me it is only a matter of time before his slow speed and high dribble get him in trouble offensively. Defensively, he has not yet shown he can stay in front of his man.

[PublicOption]

......with two good post op players and 7 footers. I bet we go back to 4 down and pound these small ball teams into submission. plus you add a 6'9" point guard to dictate the pace.

[ceperez]

Okay... CoJo is now out....

Anderson have better perform. The expectations have not be increased by a notch.

[PublicOption]

anderson
duncan
aldridge
leonard
green

cannot by stopped.

green/leonard on the fast point guard for defense and let anderson go to work.......sick, sick, sick......games will be over before halftime.

[littlecoyotecoin]

......with two good post op players and 7 footers. I bet we go back to 4 down and pound these small ball teams into submission. plus you add a 6'9" point guard to dictate the pace.

In this day and age, it's only a matter of time. Team Jenner!

[ceperez]

anderson
duncan
aldridge
leonard
green

cannot by stopped.

green/leonard on the fast point guard for defense and let anderson go to work.......sick, sick, sick......games will be over before halftime.

Actually, I like this combination:

Anderson
Green
Leonard
Diaw
Aldridge

Everyone can hit the 3 point shot! Everyone (except Green) can cause damage playing inside.

[GooberNuts]

Concern I have about that is that your observation is true for the first two, maybe three times a team sees him. Then the defense adjusts and, I fear, he will either get his dribble picked off or the defender adjusts and meets him before he ever gets to the rim. In the playoffs, particularly, it seems to me it is only a matter of time before his slow speed and high dribble get him in trouble offensively. Defensively, he has not yet shown he can stay in front of his man.

True, he will run into difficulties fairly soon once teams start to know his game, but that's when he will just need to expand the repertoire. Throwing a little Diaw junk into his game and learning how to adjust to what the defense gives him (and hopefully lowering that dribble a bit) will come in time; Anderson's bball IQ and overall skill level seem to be high enough that I feel confident that he will remain effective on the offensive end.

But I agree that his lack of speed and athleticism will really hold him back on the defensive end and I have a hard time seeing him being able to stay in front of most perimeter players.

[PublicOption]

first of all he can see over most guards. has great vision. knows when defenders are on him. i never remember any of that to tall crap slowing down magic. magic was great at picking up the dribble before you could take it from hime, which means he is going to have to run the break a lot more, that will demoralize most teams with the ease the spurs will score at. now Pop would have to be sold on playing that way. They already do with one man fast break TP. he just can't pass as well as Anderson does.

[ceperez]

True, he will run into difficulties fairly soon once teams start to know his game, but that's when he will just need to expand the repertoire. Throwing a little Diaw junk into his game and learning how to adjust to what the defense gives him (and hopefully lowering that dribble a bit) will come in time; Anderson's bball IQ and overall skill level seem to be high enough that I feel confident that he will remain effective on the offensive end.

But I agree that his lack of speed and athleticism will really hold him back on the defensive end and I have a hard time seeing him being able to stay in front of most perimeter players.

I think you over exaggerate a hypothetical situation where team have a luxury of figuring out how to contain him. This is the Spurs. Every player on the court is able to cause a lot of damage. However some Spurs need to get the ball in the right place to do that damage (i.e. Green), that's where playmakers like Anderson are valuable. Not because they can go one-and-one and score on somebody, but because they can survey the court and deliver the ball where the defense is weakest.