Memphis Grizzlies: 3 reasons Kyle Anderson contract is a good move
2. Versatile defender
Coming into the 2017-18 campaign, the Grizzlies were one of the better defensive teams in the league over the previous four seasons. During that stretch, they were the second-best team in points allowed in 2014-15 and they finished third in this category twice in 2013-14 and 2016-17.
Last season, however, they took a step back, finishing 13th in points allowed and 26th in defensive rating. With that in mind, the Grizzlies want players on the roster who can have an impact at the defensive end of the floor.
Enter Anderson.
Standing at 6’9”, with a wingspan of 7’3”, Anderson is more than capable of holding his own against his counterparts. Due to his length, he can effectively play the passing lanes without compromising his team’s defensive rotation.
Kyle Anderson had another 4 steals tonight, has now logged 11 over the last three games. His length means he can get them without ever gambling on defense. pic.twitter.com/hFpL69PfAK
— Bruno Passos (@bouncepassos) November 30, 2017
Additionally, Anderson had the second-best defensive plus-minus in the NBA among small forwards and was ranked 16th overall in this category. Furthermore, Anderson finished fourth among eligible players in steal percentage (2.9), sixth in defensive rating (101.2 points per 100 possessions) and 13th in steals per game (1.6).
Simply put, for the shortcomings Anderson has from an offensive standpoint, he more than makes up for it in what he provides at the other end of the floor.