The San Antonio Spurs drafted Kyle Anderson with the final pick of the first round in 2014, but the 11-year NBA veteran is no longer the player fans remember. He was in and out of the Warriors and Heat’s rotation last season as Slo Mo averaged 16.4 minutes per game. It was his lowest playing time since 2017. Beyond that, Miami dumped him on the rebuilding Jazz in the Norman Powell trade, and no team rescued the 32-year-old.
Anderson struggled this preseason. He averaged 1.0 point, 1.5 rebounds, 5.0 assists, and 1.0 block in 15.3 minutes per game, but only managed to play in two contests before a knee injury forced him to miss the final two.
The 32-year-old has seen his playing time decline in three straight years and has played for five different teams in five seasons. Those are all signs of decline. Anderson blossomed into a starter just before he left San Antonio. Now, the Spurs are back on the rise as Slo Mo nears the end.
Kyle Anderson is clearly declining and unlikely to bounce back
The 6’9 forward has always been a versatile role player. He can make plays, grab rebounds, defend multiple positions, and use his footwork to slither into an open shot. Anderson was never gifted with blazing speed, so he leaned into his nickname early on. Slo Mo used change of speed and craft to make his way to the NBA.
In many ways, he is a throwback player. Anderson has made just 291 3-pointers in his 11-year career. For reference, Wembanyama has made 270 in his first two seasons. Slo Mo isn’t flashy. He is going to go out and help his team win.
The 32-year-old may be stuck in Utah for the entire season. He is set to make $9.2 million with a non-guaranteed $9.6 million on the books for the 2026-27 season. Anderson won’t want to give up that option for next year in a buyout, but teams can virtually trade for him as an expiring contract. That is his only hope of leaving Utah.
Slo Mo has to get healthy first. Nobody is acquiring an injured forward coming off a down year who struggled during the preseason. The Jazz are rebuilding and plan to be in the running for the worst record. They would love to flip Anderson for draft capital, but that appears unlikely given his play over the last year.
Kyle Anderson has made nearly $80 million after this season. He left the Spurs in 2018 searching for a larger role and more money. Slo Mo certainly found it. It has been a great ride for the 30th overall pick, but it appears things are quickly coming to an end.
The San Antonio Spurs are positioned for success for the next decade-plus. Victor Wembanyama is quickly becoming unstoppable and somehow still growing. San Antonio is loaded with talent and assets to build a title contender around him. Fans should be excited about the present and future.
Keep an eye on Kyle Anderson on the Jazz. If he can get healthy, Utah will be shopping the veteran all season and may eventually buy him out. A bounce back is unlikely, but one could have him making plays on a contender in short order. Spurs fans will be rooting for him, even if it ends in disaster.