San Antonio Spurs: The price on Kyle Anderson’s value

To no surprise, the San Antonio Spurs will reportedly offer Kyle Anderson a qualifying offer. The competition, though, is something to monitor.

Kyle Anderson will become one of seven free agents for the San Antonio Spurs when the clock strikes midnight on Sunday, July 1. The only unrestricted one, for now, is Tony Parker, while Anderson holds the restricted free-agent tag on his name.

To no surprise, according to Jabari Young of the San Antonio Express-News, the Spurs will present Anderson with a $4.7 million qualifying offer, meaning the organization can match any offer sheet he signs on the open market. San Antonio can rescind the qualifying offer, Anderson can sign it, or the two sides can work out a long-term deal to keep this player away from unrestricted free agency in 2019.

How easy will it be, though, this offseason? Young also said up to seven teams could target the UCLA product. So while the Spurs can match anything, the competition is something to monitor this summer.

Not often is there a bidding war or a competition for restricted free agents, since fewer of them exist on the open market than unrestricted free agents due to experience in the NBA and the aftermath of their rookie contracts. This likely happens with Aaron Gordon and Clint Capela, rather than Anderson, who has a significantly lower profile than either player. A case can be made for Julius Randle, Jabari Parker, Zach LaVine, Jusuf Nurkic and Marcus Smart, as well.

There’s likely competition for all of those players, but in a league that wants versatility, mostly due to the Golden State Warriors, then it makes Anderson appealing to other organizations. His 6′ 9” frame can guard players almost across the board at forward, and with a steady ball-handling ability, it fits him into the modern-day look of the NBA.

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Along with this, Anderson started 67 games in place of Kawhi Leonard this season, which can only help his value. So, couple that with what he brings to the table, and what’s his price on the open market? The better question is how much will San Antonio pay to match an offer, for someone who might not start in 2018-19?

Anderson can always accept the qualifying offer and end any type of a headache for the Spurs or an outside pursuit, but for a player that just came off a rookie-scale deal and the best season of his four-year career, it seems unlikely he takes the one-year, $4.7 million deal. Especially if a half-dozen teams target him.

Next: 2018 NBA Mock Draft

The odds are in San Antonio’s favor to retain Anderson, but the potential price that another organization dictates, along with the LeBron James factor, could complicate the situation. Will the Silver and Black bring him back?