Anderson's Option Declined

[Nolan]

http://projectspurs.com/2012-articles/january/spurs-decline-to-pick-up-andersons-option.html

A bit of confusing news in the fallout of yesterday's flurry of extensions and non-extensions. According to Buck Harvey of the San Antonio Express-News, the San Antonio Spurs declined to pick up the third year option on James Anderson's contract.

Harvey writes the Spurs decided not to pick up Anderson's contract because of the emergence of Danny Green. He added that the Spurs spent all Wednesday (and many days before that) trying to decide if they should pick up the option. They feared that if they didn't pick up his option, he'd become the next Ian Mahimni, who has turned in to a decent big man for the Mavs. But Green's emergence and Gary Neal coming back from injury has buried Anderson on the bench, which Harvey noted has buried his trade value.

And that's the big problem with this move. You can't trade Anderson for anything more than probably a 2nd round pick because people haven't seen him play. Let's assume Anderson does get off the bench before Manu comes back and plays well. By not picking up his option for next season, the Spurs have hurt his trade value you that way because the most that the team that owns Anderson's rights, be it the Spurs or someone else, is $1.5 million. Any other team can offer him more if they choose, though that seems likely at this point.

Really don't get this move at all. I mean its one more year at 1.5 million and at the very worst he would of just been extra depth. Why didn't we just pick up his option and deal him for a 2nd if we were that low on him?

[BFrizzy]

I can only think that the FO have designs on clearing some space after this year to keep flexibility. I agree though it seems a strange move if there isnt a bigger picture strategy in mind..

[franktony]

By looking at the kind o talent of the 2010 draft, especially after the lottery, i can't be mad. That draft after the lottery was simply terrible. I would probably choose James Anderson again

What I've been reading is : Anderson had the same foot injury problem in high-school and he has a plate, a screw and a pin in his left foot.
Last season he had the same problem with his right foot and it clearly slowed him down.

Bottom line the front-office considered two things

The injured clearly affected him
Green has outplayed him

Too bad for Anderson. I hope he recovers and find a place in the NBA

[co_laper]

I don't get the move either.

Anderson isn't injured. I don't see how it has affected him this season at all. His shot isn't falling, but he's been aggresive offensively and for a second year player, that's all you're hoping for. Signs of improvement. Even if he's outplayed by Green, he's too cheap to just give away. I would think the Spurs could atleast swap him for a future second round pick. He's only in his second year.

And you have to consider the future. It's not like Gary Neal and Danny Green are both signed long term. They're both free agents this summer. Given their production, it's not likely that both can be had using the minimum again. And even if we do resign both of them, it's likely gonna be more than the 1.5 million Anderson's team option.

And this also cannot be a move to clear cap space. If we renounce every FA we have, that only opens up 10 million of cap room. And TD will be a FA then. There will be a cap hold for Duncan so that means you can't use the cap room, and then go over it by resigning TD. You either use the cap room by renouncing TD's cap hold, or you resign TD to 10 mil and lose all your cap room (but gain MLE).

A move I can't quiet make sense into yet.

[co_laper]

quickly losing faith on James Anderson. I don't know what he did in college. But he really hasn't shown anything yet.

So far, the only improvements he's made is he's being more aggresive with the ball. Constantly TRYING to get to the rim or create his own shots. Problem is, that doesn't look like it is part of his game. His supposed shooting skills are only good from the corners. Come on, almost everybody on the Spurs are as good/better than he is at that. He doesn't possess the quickness/1st step/dribbiling ability to blow by people. In the event that he does, he can't finish at the rim. He rarely pulls up for a 15 foot jumper so I doubt he's good at that either. It's either shoot it from the three (which he doesn't make unless it's from the corner) or drive it all the way to the rim (which he can't finish and never create contact to get fouls). And really, there's not much to say about his defensive ability other than he's got good size as a SG.

Those who watch James Anderson in college, tell me exactly what he did well. At first, my thinking was that he's just not making his shots YET. But i'm getting the feeling that he's just trying to do too much now. It's almost as if I'm in the playground and seeing someone try to do all the things that he really can't do. After a while, it just gets annoying.

[SinJackal]

I heard someone on here say he demanded a trade. Does anyone know if that's true?

I mean, if we aren't bringing him back next year anyway, we might's well trade him. He isn't doing much on the court as it is. Maybe he hits threes in garbage time, but any time he's in there when it counts it feels like he's maybe 2-20 from beyond the arc. That, plus today alone he commited multiple stupid turnovers that we definitely didn't need to make in that close game.

Just not sure what we can get back for him besides a 2nd round pick or something. I guess that's better than nothing though. Maybe we can draft and stash someone from overseas.

[batmana]

Well, obviously re-signing Gary Neal and Danny Green is a must this summer. If they both re-sign, Anderson does become redundant. On the other hand, he is a cheap player cap-wise and could probably be swapped for a 2nd round pick. I guess the FO is showing Anderson that they no longer feel he could find his place in the rotation.
I remember on draft night expecting us to draft Quincy Pondexter as the best swingman available since nearly all mock drafts had James Anderson going earlier so when he fell to us I was pretty excited. And for 10-12 games last season he really looked well before the injury... I really wanted him to make it with us but he might find his place on another team.