Player No. 2: Memphis Grizzlies F Kyle Anderson will either earn a contract or be traded
It’s hard to believe for a second that the Memphis Grizzlies would be willing to hold onto Kyle Anderson for the entirety of the 2021-22 season and let him walk. There are two options here — trade him or extend him.
Based on how he played in the 2020-21 season in the absence of Jaren Jackson Jr., the Grizzlies will likely have to give Anderson, who is on an expiring contract, a pretty hefty contract. With Ja Morant and JJJ on the verge of a payday, it may be hard to crunch the numbers in a way that makes sense.
Coming off of a career year that saw him average 12.4 points per game and 1.2 steals per contest, Anderson will look to earn more than the $9 million that he did a season ago.
Anderson has been vital lately, but with the return of starting forward Jaren Jackson Jr., it’s unclear how the soon-to-be 28-year-old fits into this team’s future. It’s entirely likely that he will be traded before the season or during the season.