The next game Kyle Anderson plays at the AT&T Center will be in a Memphis Grizzlies uniform, according to ESPN Senior reporter Adrian Wojnarowski.
The Spurs did not match on Sunday the four-year, $37.2 million offer sheet that Anderson, a restricted free agent, agreed to with Memphis on Friday.
— Adrian Wojnarowski (@wojespn) July 9, 2018 ">according to a tweet from the NBA insider.
Anderson submitted the offer sheet on Friday to the Spurs, who had 48 hours to match it or let him walk,
Anderson, a small forward who played four seasons with the Silver and Black, came to terms with the Grizzlies on the same day that longtime point guard Tony Parker, an unrestricted free agent, announced that he had agreed to a two-year, $10 million contract with the Charlotte Hornets.
A UCLA alum, Anderson was selected by San Antonio with the 30th pick in the 2014 NBA draft. He has played in 257 games, all with the Spurs, averaging 4.9 points, 3.6 rebounds, 1.7 assists and 17.9 minutes.
Anderson had the best season of his career in 2017-18, averaging 7.9 points, 5.4 rebounds and 1.6 steals. He averaged a career-high 26.7 minutes and made 67 starts, subbing at small forward for injured Kawhi Leonard.
Nicknamed “Slo Mo,” Anderson consistently drew praise from Spurs coach Gregg Popovich for his ability to make plays on both ends of the court. Whether he was scoring, passing for an assist, rebounding or playing defense, Anderson (6-foot-9 and 230 pounds) simply got the job done. While not flashy at any one thing, he proved to be a steady, dependable player.
“I guess just his overall basketball IQ,” Popovich said last November, when asked if there’s one aspect of Anderson’s game that stands out. “He’s like a utility infielder in baseball. He can do a little bit of everything. He sets an example. He works hard.
“He’s worked into this role. Obviously, he’s gotten more minutes because of Kawhi’s injury, but he’s been like that from day one. He got a lot more minutes last year in the playoffs, and really started to blossom.”
With Leonard’s status in limbo, Anderson’s departure leaves the Spurs thin at the forward position.
Anderson, 24, played two seasons at UCLA before turning pro. He was a third-team Associated Press All-America pick after his sophomore season. Anderson made his NBA debut on Nov. 6, 2014.
The Spurs have two other restricted free agents on their roster, forward Davis Bertans and guard Bryn Forbes.
