San Antonio Spurs: Kyle Anderson’s Grizzlies deal unlikely to be matched

By Rob Wolkenbrod | Jul 8, 2018

PHILADELPHIA, PA - JANUARY 3: Kyle Anderson #1 of the San Antonio Spurs brings the ball up the floor against the Philadelphia 76ers in the first half at Wells Fargo Center on January 3, 2018 in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. NOTE TO USER: User expressly acknowledges and agrees that, by downloading and or using this photograph, User is consenting to the terms and conditions of the Getty Images License Agreement. (Photo by Rob Carr/Getty Images) /

The San Antonio Spurs are not likely to match Kyle Anderson’s offer sheet from the Memphis Grizzlies.

The San Antonio Spurs already lost Tony Parker to the Charlotte Hornets and may send Kawhi Leonard elsewhere, but one of their restricted free agents, Kyle Anderson, could be the next player on the move. That’s after the Memphis Grizzlies signed him to a four-year, $37.2 million offer sheet Friday.

San Antonio received 48 hours to match the offer, so a decision had to arrive Sunday night. What would they do?

According to Jabari Young of the San Antonio Express-News, the Spurs are not expected to match Anderson’s offer sheet. That leaves him open to officially join the Grizzlies.

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Anderson’s departure opens 26.7 minutes per game in the rotation, most of which he received with Leonard’s season-long quadriceps injury. That led to 7.9 points, 5.4 rebounds, 2.7 assists and 1.6 steals per game on 52.7 percent shooting, all of which were career-highs.

With Leonard still on the trade market, it’s possible the Spurs find Anderson’s replacement via this route, whether it’s Brandon Ingram or Kyle Kuzma from the Los Angeles Lakers or Robert Covington or Dario Saric from the Philadelphia 76ers. Options are out there, but it depends on both teams’ willingness to include these players.

For San Antonio, the impact will be felt on the defensive end, where Anderson thrived and offered the ability to defend multiple positions, given his 6-foot-9 size and mobility. Plus, he showcased ball-handling skills, something that may be missed in certain lineups that Gregg Popovich puts out there.

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2018 has proven to be an unusual offseason for the Spurs and one that will continue to trend in this direction. That’s once Leonard moves to another team, a situation that does not have a timetable. The 2018-19 roster will look different, so let’s see what happens next to shake everything up.

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