NBA: 15 potential ‘under-the-radar’ free agent moves

Ryan Anderson, PF (New Orleans Pelicans)

More so than most teams, the New Orleans Pelicans need a course correction. Anthony Davis needs to be surrounded with young, complementary talent; in fact he needed it yesterday.

Instead, the Pelicans have an assortment of talented pieces to what appear to be different puzzles. Guys like Ryan Anderson and Eric Gordon struggle to remain healthy, while Alonzo Gee and Dante Cunningham struggle to stay efficient.

With Anderson’s contract running out and a big payday potentially on the way, the two sides appear ready to part. Anderson is among the best stretch 4’s in the NBA, spreading out the floor and allowing for penetration which in turn can create more shots. In a dismal season for the Pelicans, he was one of the lone bright spots on offense, making up for the lack of shooting range displayed by the Pels’ froncourt. Playing starter minutes off of the bench for the Pelicans, Anderson shot 36.6% from beyond the arc, marksmanship that enabled him to post 17 points along with 6 rebounds per game.

Anderson’s problem is two-fold: he’s a ball stopper, and he is a massive defensive liability. He has neither the agility to guard the perimeter nor the technique to defend on the low post. Any team that would sign him would need to be sure they could hide Anderson on defense, and that he wouldn’t ruin the pace of their offense.

Still, his shooting prowess is valuable, and his strong rebounding is a solid bonus. A team like the Washington Wizards are in desperate need of floor spacing – although they would also need to invest in a rim protector alongside Anderson.

Next: Bismack Biyombo