Anderson signed a four-year, $80 million contract with the Rockets in 2016. This made him the second-highest-earning player on Houston\u2019s payroll for the upcoming season, behind only James Harden.<\/p>\n
What Went Wrong?<\/p>\n
In the season prior to his signing, Anderson averaged 17.0 points and 6.0 rebounds over 66 games with the New Orleans Pelicans. He finished sixth in Sixth Man of the Year voting.<\/p>\n
Being promoted to a starting role in Houston, Anderson averaged 13.6 points and 4.6 rebounds over 72 games. Although he was considered a vital piece of the Rockets\u2019 offensive scheme, his $20 million annual salary was apparently steep considering Kevin Love, Marc Gasol, DeAndre Jordan, and Paul Millsap were earning approximately the same amount.<\/p>\n
For the 2017-2018 season, Anderson\u2019s production decreased to 9.3 points and 5.0 rebounds over 66 games. By this time, Houston was led by Harden and the newly acquired Chris Paul. With Anderson absorbing roughly 20% of Houston\u2019s cap space, his contract limited the franchise\u2019s financial flexibility as it attempted to build a formidable trio, and there were continued efforts to unload his contract.<\/p>\n
For instance, in the summer of 2017, there were reports <\/a>suggesting that the Rockets were in serious pursuit of Carmelo Anthony. Anderson\u2019s contract, however, made it difficult for Houston to orchestrate a mutually appealing trade with the New York Knicks.<\/p>\n During the 2018 offseason, Anderson agreed to reduce the guarantee on his $21 million salary for the 2019-2020 season to $15.6 million. Soon after, the Rockets traded Anderson and De\u2019Anthony Melton to the Phoenix Suns for Brandon Knight and Marquese Chriss.<\/p>\n Overall, Anderson\u2019s two-season stint with the Rockets was not disastrous from a coaching perspective, but Houston\u2019s front office<\/a> made a clear misstep in managing the team\u2019s cap space. With Houston making a Western Conference Finals appearance in 2018, a more financially friendly approach toward Anderson could have been a difference-maker in reaching the championship round.<\/p>\n
![\"\"](\"https:\/\/assets.minutemediacdn.com\/platform\/google_discover_icon.svg\"){kind=icon}
Add us as a preferred source on Google