Potential Fit
The Suns don’t have a huge need at Anderson’s small forward spot.
T.J. Warren looked like the future of the position to close out the season and though Anderson projects as a better version of P.J. Tucker, it might not be worth a lottery pick to upgrade that spot.
Anderson’s shooting, if it holds up at the professional level, is much needed. Tucker tailed off from beyond the arc after losing the pristine floor spacing provided by Channing Frye, and Warren has never shown consistent deep range.
Anderson’s abilities in the open court should fit in well with the league’s third fastest offense, as Anderson averaged over 1.5 points per fast break shot attempt. He’s not a great decision-maker on the court, making him a tough sell on a Phoenix team that desperately needs to improve its cumulative team IQ.
While it’s tough to imagine Anderson playing over Warren, he’s strong enough to survive minutes as a stretch-four, a la Harrison Barnes in Golden State.
Anderson’s shooting would be nice, but the positional overlap, combined with his lack of offensive upside, make him a tough sell for a Phoenix front office forever gunning for a star or the asset that’ll nab them one.
Next: Conclusion