The Raptors didn’t make a splash when they brought in Kyle Anderson, but that was never the point. This was the kind of offseason move that quietly changes the edges of a roster: veteran-minimum money, a dependable body, and a signal that Toronto wasn’t planning to sit still while the rest of the league kept moving.
Anderson isn’t just another voice in the locker room, either. He should be expected to give the Raptors more than the typical bench vet, especially when compared with what Garrett Temple provided over his three years in Toronto. Temple appeared in 77 games during that stretch before moving into coaching and taking an assistant job with the Masai Ujiri led Dallas Mavericks.
There’s also a connection here that makes Anderson a little more interesting. He spent his first four seasons with the San Antonio Spurs, where he played alongside Kawhi Leonard. That matters because Anderson already has firsthand experience with one of the Raptors’ newest additions, even if the two players occupy very different roles.
Under Gregg Popovich, Anderson learned the defensive side of the game in a system built to bring out Leonard’s strengths. He barely saw the floor as a rookie while working through the usual growing pains, but over the next three seasons he earned Popovich’s trust and played at least 72 games in each.
Then came Leonard’s final year in San Antonio, when injury limited him to nine games and Anderson had to take on a much larger role. He started 67 of 74 games that season and posted 26.7 minutes per game, the highest mark of his career.
That was nearly a decade ago, and Anderson’s game has settled into a different place now. He’s more of a depth piece than a featured option, but that doesn’t make him less useful. The Raptors can lean on him for frontcourt depth, for help disrupting passing lanes, and for a little bit of point-forward play when the situation calls for it.
More than anything, Anderson gives Toronto a steady veteran presence and someone who has already spent time next to Leonard. The Raptors don’t need him to be the full swiss-army-knife version of himself, but this is the kind of under-the-radar addition that can matter more than it looks at first glance.
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The Knicks have plenty of reason to feel good about the deal too, with OG Anunoby becoming a key piece in their climb to a long-awaited title. So when Barrett went back to New York, there was a built-in layer of intrigue from both sides of the trade, the kind of reunion that can turn a regular regular-season night into something a little more personal for everyone watching. [Read more 🡒]