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One of the greatest free agency disappointments in Rockets history is making his return to the team... on slightly different terms.
Ryan Anderson is beginning his second stint with the Rockets after signing with the team September 25.
It’s awesome to see Anderson back in H-Town. He’s a great teammate and he is passionate about the Houston community. You can tell in his interviews that he’s happy to be back home (editor’s note: speaking of Anderson interviews, we juuust might have a TDS Exclusive one on the way from media day. Stay tuned!)
In his year away from Houston, Anderson failed to make a large impact. He was traded twice as part of contract dumps and played in just 25 games with the Suns and Heat.
The last time Anderson signed with the Rockets, it was for an average of $20 million annually. Now, it’s only for $250,000.
Ryan Anderson’s $250k guarantee seems to give him a big leg up on Ben McLeMore ($50k), Anthony Bennett ($0k) and Michael Frazier ($0k) for one of the last spots on the 15-man roster.
— David Weiner (@BimaThug) September 28, 2019
Ryno is not a lock to make the team and will likely be fighting for one of the final roster spots.
Anderson is not going to be a rotation player for the Rockets this season. It just isn’t feasible, but having someone familiar with the system and some of the players on the squad is a good person to have for the final roster spot. That’s the one leg up that Anderson has over other veterans trying to make the team.
His biggest direct competition to make the team is with Anthony Bennett, as the two play similar positions as stretch fours who can shoot.
Anderson has been established as a distance shooter for far longer than Bennett, the top pick in the 2013 NBA Draft, which likely tabs him as the favorite.
In the G-League last season, Bennett shot 45 percent from deep, which is why the Rockets took a chance on the former draft bust.
However, Anderson shot just 38 percent in the NBA just two seasons ago when the Rockets went all the way to Game 7 of the Western Conference Finals. It was 16 months ago, but in the NBA, that’s an eternity.
Anderson, 33, is the presumed favorite, but he will have to earn his roster spot. His $250,000 guarantee won’t guarantee him a spot on the squad.
The Rockets will have to make the choice between experience and chemistry or youth and upside.