Spurs are 5-0...

[SAGirl]

I don't necessarily agree he needs to go to another team. He's not like Murray. The skill level is fine. He needs to get his head straight. Going from golden prospect to outcast might be what he needs to light the fire. Someone said Pop was starving Anderson to make him hungry. I hope whoever said that was right.

Its possible, but I don't think that's it.

Davis has nothing to do with it. Even in the summer when guys were arguing about Bertans being a 3, Pop had already told Davis he was going to play the 4. That was always the plan.

For Kyle, it's complicated. He is not fully developed as a player. Much as guys criticize that he's a 3rd season player, he is young enough to have entered the league this season and his real rookie season was spent in the dleague learning how to play as something else than what he had been successful at in college. Ppl ignore that his learning curve was huge. He wasn't so much progressing from what he did in college than just going in a separate direction altogether. That is tough to do.

On top of that, Pop didn't know for certain what his ideal spot was, playing him all over the map in his second season trying to figure that out. So he enters his 3rd season still in a developmental stage and apparently with Pop just as undecided. It's just not the kind of thing that's going to generate success or be solved by just putting pressure.

The benchings are going to come bc of fit at this point (Heck when Dedmon gets back to health one of the bigs is going to get benched at times bc someone is going to have to sit regardless). He's going to have to shoot the 3 more, but he's not going to outshoot Davis or be a better athlete than Simmons. He can only be a better version of himself and the Spurs don't currently have a need for what is special about him based on last season and what's worse, they are not blowing other teams out which means that there's not even much garbage time at all to iron out kinks in guys games or work on getting confidence back.

As a still developing player he should have been better than last season in the right situation for himself, but the Spurs aren't the right situation bc they went in a different direction spotting him up off the ball even more than b4 and using him even less. What little they have him doing, you can ask of Garino. Garino can be your 5th wing if you like, and Bertans might give you some spot minutes at the 3 if you are desperate with an injured guy. Heck for what the Spurs are asking Kyle to do you can call Rasual Butler back, that tells you all you need to know in terms of how little the Spurs are asking of him and how underutilized he is.

I guess what I am saying is that I still like Slow-mo but the one from last season. This season's guy has been restricted to a kind of 3-D role that's ill suited for him and that's painful even to watch. It's not who he is and its a waste of what made him unique. He has to improve on his 3 ball and his off the ball play anyways, so maybe in the long term the struggle from this season makes him a better all around player, but he would have to play to even get a chance to improve and I don't see that happening bc of fit Chinook. It's not about him, it's about the team, yada, yada.

I think a trade might best for both player and team, but I doubt it happens.

It is what it is. I don't expect him to do much at all this season at this rate, though it's early. And once one doesn't expect much from him why have him in the team at all. I still like his game, but again the Kyle from last season, who was more of a playmaker and off the bounce scorer than spot up shooter. The guy Pop is trying to box in a very small role is going to struggle in that box... then he's not playing enough to gain and retain confidence even in that box. So whatever. Let the troll have his day celebrating how a 23 year old Spur player has been unable to build upon success last season. That great for the Spurs right?

[dabom]

Its possible, but I don't think that's it.

Davis has nothing to do with it. Even in the summer when guys were arguing about Bertans being a 3, Pop had already told Davis he was going to play the 4. That was always the plan.

For Kyle, it's complicated. He is not fully developed as a player. Much as guys criticize that he's a 3rd season player, he is young enough to have entered the league this season and his real rookie season was spent in the dleague learning how to play as something else than what he had been successful at in college. Ppl ignore that his learning curve was huge. He wasn't so much progressing from what he did in college than just going in a separate direction altogether. That is tough to do.

On top of that, Pop didn't know for certain what his ideal spot was, playing him all over the map in his second season trying to figure that out. So he enters his 3rd season still in a developmental stage and apparently with Pop just as undecided. It's just not the kind of thing that's going to generate success or be solved by just putting pressure.

The benchings are going to come bc of fit at this point (Heck when Dedmon gets back to health one of the bigs is going to get benched at times bc someone is going to have to sit regardless). He's going to have to shoot the 3 more, but he's not going to outshoot Davis or be a better athlete than Simmons. He can only be a better version of himself and the Spurs don't currently have a need for what is special about him based on last season and what's worse, they are not blowing other teams out which means that there's not even much garbage time at all to iron out kinks in guys games or work on getting confidence back.

As a still developing player he should have been better than last season in the right situation for himself, but the Spurs aren't the right situation bc they went in a different direction spotting him up off the ball even more than b4 and using him even less. What little they have him doing, you can ask of Garino. Garino can be your 5th wing if you like, and Bertans might give you some spot minutes at the 3 if you are desperate with an injured guy. Heck for what the Spurs are asking Kyle to do you can call Rasual Butler back, that tells you all you need to know in terms of how little the Spurs are asking of him and how underutilized he is.

I guess what I am saying is that I still like Slow-mo but the one from last season. This season's guy has been restricted to a kind of 3-D role that's ill suited for him and that's painful even to watch. It's not who he is and its a waste of what made him unique. He has to improve on his 3 ball and his off the ball play anyways, so maybe in the long term the struggle from this season makes him a better all around player, but he would have to play to even get a chance to improve and I don't see that happening bc of fit Chinook. It's not about him, it's about the team, yada, yada.

I think a trade might best for both player and team, but I doubt it happens.

It is what it is. I don't expect him to do much at all this season at this rate, though it's early. And once one doesn't expect much from him why have him in the team at all. I still like his game, but again the Kyle from last season, who was more of a playmaker and off the bounce scorer than spot up shooter. The guy Pop is trying to box in a very small role is going to struggle in that box... then he's not playing enough to gain and retain confidence even in that box. So whatever. Let the troll have his day celebrating how a 23 year old Spur player has been unable to build upon success last season. That great for the Spurs right?

You are the Spurtacular equivalent for Kyle Anderson.

You are the one with the shtick here.

[dabom]

I'm more interested in the Spurs success than Fatheads tbh.

[SAGirl]

Nobody beats father time, tbh... at least he hasn't completely lost a step defensively, or he would be completely done...

But back to the main topic, regardless of the troll thread material, just disappointed in Kyle and also in Simms, tbh... Simms has been playing, but as I mentioned after the first game against the Dubs, the keyword here is consistency, and he's been wildly inconsistent...

I can't judge Simms much bc I have missed this last few games but he has had his share of 0 scoring games and lack of productive games and in a couple of early games he statpadded in garbage time. If that had been Kyle with those poor production games ppl would be trolling (Heck they are still trolling and Kyle hasn't been playing). But anyways here's my honest take on both. They are different players but they both have talent. Simmons is probably more ball dominant than Kyle at this point, who despite his struggles worked on off the ball play in the summer (he spotted up off the ball more than you credit him for in the summer and posted up just a little bit, but the summer league this time was very much about Simms).

Here's the thing with both: the burden to score is not on either of them and they don't have carte Blanche to take whatever they want. It's on Patty, Manu and Lee to carry the scoring, then everyone else. I think Pop wants both to shoot the 3 more, but neither is a natural sharpshooter. Simmons has been very off and passing up his share if shots, Kyle we all know his passiveness, but he's under a lot of pressure at this point.

But they have to find shots within the offense and play off others which means,they will be up and down... whoever of them is playing and right now that's Simms. If either had license to take their preferred shots, etc they would score mire buy they will also struggle attempting to do that, Simmons might increase his TO for example when so far he's been super stellar passing and Kyle I don't know but he's been strictly off the ball cutting and at the 3 and his last name is not Bertans or Forbes so he's not going to score a lot like that.

For Simmons that does become a problem when Dedmo n is back and the bench needs more shooting. Manu had been bailing that Dedmon/Simmons unit with insane step back 3s and stuff like that.

[Chinook]

I don't know that people are celebrating his suckitude, but let's not pretend it wasn't out of the realm of possibilities... his potential quality as an NBA player was a pretty giant question mark entering this season.

It wasn't out of the realm of possibility at all. But it was the Spurs second-biggest shot at internal improvement behind Kawhi reaching MVP status. That Anderson's been so underwhelming that he feel behind a rookie and an inconsistent 27-year-old sucks. Spurs would be a much better team now and in the future if it had worked out, which is nothing to make a ton of threads lauding.

[Chinook]

SAG, you're freaking out for no reason, writing his eulogy. Anderson will play a lot of minutes this year (pause for gasps). He's still the 11th man. He will have time to prove himself again. They just guaranteed him $2-plus Million for next year. He'll be in the plans for a while, despite the suggestion that they should dump him for a pick. He just has to get it. He's running out of chances to do so, but he still have some. That doesn't mean he has to shoot every three he looks at. It just means he has to not defer. Until Pop tells him he's shooting too much, forcing things too much, he's being too passive. That's not something that takes a Lifetime movie to figure out. It'll just click if it happens, whether in SA or on a different team.

We are one fifth of the way through the penultimate season of his rookie contract. At this point in Cory's career, he had picked up four DNPs and was averaging 3/1/1 with no defensive stats, 43-percent shooting and no threes made. He was relegated only to garbage time, averaging under six minutes a game. Yet there were some of us on this site who liked him and wanted him to play more, and there were plenty, plenty of posters who wrote him off. Cory's problems were almost identical to Anderson's. He got over it eventually.

[GSH]

So you see... your use of the word "holiday" was inconsistent with your presumed level of education and country of origin. But language's only rule is that people can understand what you're saying, and you obviously don't care about that.

[100%duncan]

No, not really. Unless this is just the Bertans we're going to see from now on, Anderson wasn't passed up by better players. He fell behind worse players. This isn't a Danny Green/James Anderson situation where a player busted but it was okay because the Spurs found their long-term starter anyway. Outside of flash games, Anderson's suckitude has had a pretty strong impact on the team's stability.

Until the Spurs find someone to consistently do what they hoped Anderson would do, the fact that Anderson has been benched should be a thing of mourning, not celebration.

BRO PLEASE STOP. He did not fell behind worse players. The best shooter in Europe with defensive potential plus tools to be a stretch four is NOT a WORSE PLAYER than Kyle ing Anderson. And Simmons' minutes were given to Kyle latter part last year and in the playoffs, PRETTY SURE he is not a worse player. Please stop. God.

[TheDoctor]

His career needs a change of scenery, he needs an opportunity to have the ball in his hands on a ty team's 2nd unit, tbh..it's the only way he could find a niche and build a productive career..he's only 23..

Spurs' desperately need another veteran PG to run the offense as an alternative to Parker for when he's injured/struggling, they don't have another real option on the roster(Manu is no longer trustworthy and Mills can't run the offense)..

A ty 3rd string veteran would be fine IMO, somebody like Jameer Nelson or Beno Udrih..

PATFO could continue the habit of ing the League (in this case Detroit) and somehow negotiate with them a trade between Kyle and Ish Smith tbh

Ish can pass, can run an offense and although he's not an elite finisher Ish can drive to the hole and score in bunches. In other words, he would be a perfect fit coming off the bench.

[Chinook]

BRO PLEASE STOP. He did not fell behind worse players. The best shooter in Europe with defensive potential plus tools to be a stretch four is NOT a WORSE PLAYER than Kyle ing Anderson. And Simmons' minutes were given to Kyle latter part last year and in the playoffs, PRETTY SURE he is not a worse player. Please stop. God.

You're misunderstanding what I'm saying. Kyle isn't better than those guys, especially the way he's playing now. But the Spurs needed him to be, because they needed someone to be better than what they're getting right now from their rotation outside Kawhi, LMA, Green, Gasol and maybe Mills. Anderson was supposed to be that guy. But he didn't get passed up; he fell behind. So the Spurs still need to find the guy to fill that role. Anderson getting benched is a bad thing, even if he deserved it, because it means the team has to make a move. Bertans being a consistent 12-15ppg guy would be awesome, but he's probably not close to being there right now. And Simmons hasn't been good in a while. So the team will have to make a move.

Anderson sucking means a trade is more likely to come. That won't be the Kyle dump you and others want it to be. It's likely going cost picks, prospects and maybe a rotation player. Are you still going to be celebrating if this results in a deal like Mills/Dedmon/first for Teague/Christmas deal? That's the kind of thing that could happen giving how bad the bench looks for long stretches now.

[TheDoctor]

Fathead just doing his best LBJ impersonation by coasting the regular season. Just wait till those Playoffs 4th quarters starting spots.

[100%duncan]

You're misunderstanding what I'm saying. Kyle isn't better than those guys, especially the way he's playing now. But the Spurs needed him to be, because they needed someone to be better than what they're getting right now from their rotation outside Kawhi, LMA, Green, Gasol and maybe Mills. Anderson was supposed to be that guy. But he didn't get passed up; he fell behind. So the Spurs still need to find the guy to fill that role. Anderson getting benched is a bad thing, even if he deserved it, because it means the team has to make a move. Bertans being a consistent 12-15ppg guy would be awesome, but he's probably not close to being there right now. And Simmons hasn't been good in a while. So the team will have to make a move.

Anderson sucking means a trade is more likely to come. That won't be the Kyle dump you and others want it to be. It's likely going cost picks, prospects and maybe a rotation player. Are you still going to be celebrating if this results in a deal like Mills/Dedmon/first for Teague/Christmas deal? That's the kind of thing that could happen giving how bad the bench looks for long stretches now.

Im pretty sure you said "Anderson wasn't passed up by better players. He fell behind worse players."

[MaNu4Tres]

No team would ever double team Kyle Anderson.

No team in the NBA is bad enough for Anderson to be the lead initiator for a bench either.

Kyle will be in Europe or in China in 2-3 years.

[Chinook]

Im pretty sure you said "Anderson wasn't passed up by better players. He fell behind worse players."

Yes, in contrast to James Anderson and Green. Danny surpassed what anyone could have hoped Anderson would bring, so it really wasn't a big deal that James ended up busting. These guys playing now aren't surpassing what the Spurs wanted from Kyle. He's just been so bad that they have to play instead. Imagine if Green was never Green in 2012, and the Spurs just had Simmons instead. That's basically what's happened this year but with a different (thankfully less critical) spot in the rotation. Hopefully, Bertans has arrived and isn't just flashing. But even if he's legit from here on out, there's a huge lack of perimeter play and ball-handlers who are up to snuff in playoffs compe ion.

[100%duncan]

Yes, in contrast to James Anderson and Green. Danny surpassed what anyone could have hoped Anderson would bring, so it really wasn't a big deal that James ended up busting. These guys playing now aren't surpassing what the Spurs wanted from Kyle. He's just been so bad that they have to play instead. Imagine if Green was never Green in 2012, and the Spurs just had Simmons instead. That's basically what's happened this year but with a different (thankfully less critical) spot in the rotation. Hopefully, Bertans has arrived and isn't just flashing. But even if he's legit from here on out, there's a huge lack of perimeter play and ball-handlers who are up to snuff in playoffs compe ion.

They are still not worse players and they certainly are clearly much better potential, current production wise.

[ElNono]

It wasn't out of the realm of possibility at all. But it was the Spurs second-biggest shot at internal improvement behind Kawhi reaching MVP status. That Anderson's been so underwhelming that he feel behind a rookie and an inconsistent 27-year-old sucks. Spurs would be a much better team now and in the future if it had worked out, which is nothing to make a ton of threads lauding.

Ofcourse it sucks. The question then becomes what do the Spurs do if they've any intentions of potentially salvaging the season.

It's obvious Kyle or Simms alone wont get you much of anything in return and Tony and Manu are not going anywhere.

Maybe nothing will happen, tbh, this will be just a transition year, but I don't think the Spurs can afford to have many of these and retain guys like LMA or even Kawhi...

[spursistan]

The over-analysis for a player of his low caliber is sometimes infuriating, but hey that's reality of internet sport boards.. .

People acting like him ting the bed has been a big surprise when it's been a pre-season theme all along, and now Bertans has rightfully vault-jumped him in the rotation as it was pretty evident in those exhibitions he would be a better fit ..

For hitherto fringe players, NBA careers are made when the main guys or their primary backups are injured and you get the call to fill in; Anderson failure to seize his starting gig opportunity, provided by Danny being on the shelf early on, may have spelled the beginning of the end of his Spurs tenure..

Nobody is really rejoicing here, and I actually fear for Kyle's future if the Spurs are looking to move him. It is never good when SA discard you, let alone when you're their 1st round pick on a rookie contract..

[dabom]

BRO PLEASE STOP. He did not fell behind worse players. The best shooter in Europe with defensive potential plus tools to be a stretch four is NOT a WORSE PLAYER than Kyle ing Anderson. And Simmons' minutes were given to Kyle latter part last year and in the playoffs, PRETTY SURE he is not a worse player. Please stop. God.

[spursistan]

We've managed to squeeze more out of flawed players with toxic characters like Neal/Blair than Anderson thus far, and that has one explanation in today's NBA:

established niche players >> mediocre to average jack-of-all trades players.

[ernest787]

The reason Anderson has been played all over the place is b/c he doesn't have any skill that he excels at in the context of the NBA. So they have tried him in all different positions and roles to see if he can find his niche.

SAG acts like they are moving him all over for fun or just to f with the guy. If he had exceptional defense it would be easy to figure out what his role would be. If he was a dead-eye 3 point shooter, he easily slides into a role. The problem with Fathead has always been that he does a lot of things well but nothing shines through. At the college or D-league level this makes him lethal as a tweener, but at the NBA level it means he has no direction and cannot fill any team needs.

Unless Kyle wakes up tomorrow and suddenly has NBA athleticism, is a knock down shooter, or above average defender, then it's time to move on.

[kaji157]

His game seems more and more FIBA bound.

[TD 21]

So whatever. Let the troll have his day celebrating how a 23 year old Spur player has been unable to build upon success last season. That great for the Spurs right?

I thought you were done discussing or at least defending him? This short story that I quoted a snippet of (didn't read the rest and only read this because dabom put it in bold) says otherwise.

You say 23 as if it's 19 or 20. He played 2 years in college, is now in his 3rd season pro and is supposedly a high IQ player. As Pop would say, it's basketball. How long is it supposed to take him to look competent?

At the notion of him having had success to build upon.

[SAGirl]

We've managed to squeeze more out of flawed players with toxic characters like Neal/Blair than Anderson thus far, and that has one explanation in today's NBA:

established niche players >> mediocre to average jack-of-all trades players.

That is only be you already had Ginobili. Without him, those specialists would flop.

[SAGirl]

I thought you were done discussing or at least defending him? This short story that I quoted a snippet of (didn't read the rest and only read this because dabom put it in bold) says otherwise.

You say 23 as if it's 19 or 20. He played 2 years in college, is now in his 3rd season pro and is supposedly a high IQ player. As Pop would say, it's basketball. How long is it supposed to take him to look competent?

At the notion of him having had success to build upon.

Every rookie needs time to adapt and develop anyways, and on top of that he had to change his game but whatever. If you don't think he had a successful second season you are trolling.

[cjw]

After almost 30 months as part of the Spurs' franchise, he's shown no improvement in shooting (accuracy or ability to get shot off) and just marginal improvement elsewhere despite PATFO's coddling. Adequate spot game action in the NBA, plenty of burn in the D League and the best shooting coach in the league (plus deep staff), and nothing. Not fair to compare him to James Anderson who suffered a substantial injury prior to establishing himself.

We've gotten to the point where his minutes are so empty that they can be the margin between winning or losing and the staff sees no upside in developing his game. No more trips up to Austin to play JV compe ion.