Earlier this evening, Kyle Anderson reached a buyout agreement with the Grizzlies and will now be heading to the Minnesota Timberwolves. This is a very underrated loss for the Grizzlies that should probably be talked about more.
Kyle Anderson returned to Memphis as a part of the Jaren Jackson Jr. trade, and his second stint in a Grizzlies uniform did not last a full month. In just four games in his second Grizzlies stint, Anderson averaged 9.3 points and 3.5 rebounds while also adding 1.5 steals and a block per game.
For the season with the Jazz and Grizzlies combined, Anderson is averaging 7.5 points, 3.3 rebounds, and 2.7 assists in 20.4 minutes per game. Anderson should still provide value for a Timberwolves team that is looking to return to the Western Conference Finals.
This could have a major impact beyond on-court production
While Kyle Anderson still remains a very solid player, arguably the biggest loss for the Grizzlies will be his veteran leadership. The Grizzlies have multiple promising players in GG Jackson II, Jaylen Wells, and Cedric Coward. While those players are very talented, they would've strongly benefitted from more time with an established veteran like Kyle Anderson.
One of the things that stopped the Grizzlies from becoming a true championship contender was the lack of quality veterans and leaders. Now that Kyle Anderson reached a buyout with the team, the Grizzlies are losing very strong leadership and an on-court fit that would've benefitted them the rest of the season.
In order for the Grizzlies to get back to winning games, they must improve their defensive level. The absence of Zach Edey and the recent trade of Jaren Jackson Jr. have exposed how much the Grizzlies really need to shore up their defense as a whole.
Jaylen Wells is guarding some of the best players in the league, and GG Jackson II has made a defensive leap this year. Cedric Coward has also shown defensive flashes as a rookie. However, it is not unreasonable to believe that Anderson could've played an instrumental role in helping the Grizzlies' young wings improve in that area.
Earlier in the month, GM Zach Kleiman talked about how important it is to have veterans on the team and that Kyle Anderson checked that box. Now, following the Kyle Anderson buyout and signing of Taj Gibson, Kleiman will have significant work cut out for him to find the right vets for this Grizzlies' young core.
Even though the main focuses on the Grizzlies right now include the 2026 NBA Draft and the future of Ja Morant, a move such as the Kyle Anderson buyout is one that is flying under the radar and could really hurt the Grizzlies in the short term.