The Houston Rockets have agreed to sign unrestricted free agent power forward Ryan Anderson to a contract worth $80 million over four years. The contract cannot officially be signed until the end of the NBA‘s moratorium period on July 7th.
Adrian Wojnarowski of Yahoo’s The Vertical broke the news on Saturday afternoon.
Free agent Ryan Anderson plans to sign a four-year, $80M deal with the Houston Rockets, league sources tell @TheVertical.
— Adrian Wojnarowski (@WojVerticalNBA) July 2, 2016
Report: Ryan Anderson Agrees to Contract with Houston Rockets
Anderson’s contract will take him through the end of the 2019-20 season. No player or team options in the deal have been reported yet.
Anderson averaged 17 points, 6.0 rebounds, and 1.1 assists per game last season for the New Orleans Pelicans. Anderson only started 7 games all season, despite being involved in 66 games. Mainly due to the emergence of star power forward Anthony Davis. Anderson’s numbers were down during the 2014-15 season, but improved again last season, due to Anderson’s new role coming of the bench. Anderson is a very good shooter, and helped a depleted Pelicans team to a 30-52 record. Anderson finished the season with a few minor injuries, but is expected to make a full recovery before next season.
Looking forward, Anderson provides great scoring ability from the perimeter. An asset that will be valuable to the Houston especially as big men who can shoot are becoming one of the key’s to victory in the modern NBA. Anderson will be looking to start for the Rockets and will at least play a big bench role in helping his new team go on a deep playoff run in the 2016-17 season.
Anderson is heading into his 8th year in the league, and is 28 years old. Anderson has played for three teams in his NBA career. Drafted in the first round by the New Jersey Nets in 2008, 21st overall. Anderson has played for New Jersey, the Orlando Magic, and the Pelicans.
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