Warriors add another ex-Grizzly in Kyle Anderson

“Slow Mo” Anderson joins Golden State on a sign-and-trade deal

If the Golden State Warriors can’t keep their roster together, they’ll settle for reuniting the 2021-22 Memphis Grizzlies.

One day after signing former Grizzly De’Anthony Melton to a one-year deal, the Warriors added Kyle “Slow Mo” Anderson, Melton’s teammate from the “Whoop That Trick” Grizzlies team that lost to Golden State in the second round of the playoffs. Anderson is getting $27 million for three years.

While it’s really a free-agent signing, the deal is structured as a sign-and-trade because the Warriors are above the salary cap, so the Timberwolves will be getting a second-round pick swap and cash considerations for their trouble. As always, it’s been a huge summer for cash considerations in the NBA.

Presumably the Warriors will be using part of the trade exception from signing-and-trading Thompson to the Dallas Mavericks.

The move will leave the Warriors about $3.2 million below the luxury tax line with 13 players on their roster. That means they’re looking at one more veteran signing on a minimum deal, unless they trade a player like Andrew Wiggins or Moses Moody. Anderson does provide further wing depth for the Warriors, but he’s the opposite of Thompson as a shooter, going 22.9% from three-point range last season.

But like Melton, Anderson is a strong defender with a giant wingspan. He’s 6-foot-9 and his wingspan is 7-foot-3, while Melton stands 6-foot-2 with a 6-foot-8 wingspan. Anderson is a versatile defender who can defend almost anyone on the court, from wings to the occasional center. His ball handling, rebounding, basketball IQ, and inconsistent three-point shot all evoke Draymond Green, although Anderson who got punched by his teammate last year.

Perhaps the Warriors were impressed by the Grizzlies in that series, one where Melton at least should have gotten more playing time. They’re also taking advantage of two contenders who are spending big next year, the Minnesota Timberwolves and Philadelphia 76ers. Philly had to let Melton go to open up cap space to add Paul George, while Minnesota’s status as a “second apron” team made it impossible to retain Anderson.

Anderson has a background the Warriors love. He played at UCLA in college, just like Kevon Looney, then spent four seasons playing for Steve Kerr’s mentor, Gregg Popovich, with the San Antonio Spurs. The Warriors built a decade of winning around people from the Pac-12 (R.I.P.), a group that has included Kerr (Arizona), Looney, Bob Myers (UCLA), Thompson (Washington State), Andre Iguodala (Arizona), Luke Walton (Arizona), Gary Payton II (Oregon State), Justin Holiday (Washington), and now Anderson and Melton (USC).

Look, the Dubs lost part of their dynasty when Thompson left. But now they have two members of what Dillon Brooks called a “dynasty” in Memphis. They’re also two players the Grizzlies have certainly missed having on the roster in the last two seasons.

All kidding aside, that Memphis team lost in the second round of the playoffs, an outcome that would be a great result for this Warriors squad. Plus, it’s novel that the Warriors will now have a forward who is slow, but on purpose.