Magic Left Ryan Anderson "In The Wind"

[jonathanlambert33]

Ryan Anderson will return to Orlando as a member of the New Orleans Hornets.


Anderson was acquired by the Hornets in a sign-and-trade in the offseason during his restricted free agency.

“[The Magic] were waiting to see what they were going to do with Dwight and a few other pieces. And for me it was a situation that was just so different because, obviously, I didn’t have a relationship with Rob Hennigan,’’ said Anderson. “They didn’t even have a coaching staff at that point. For me, I was just kind of in the wind. I was playing it by ear and whatever happens, happens.

“I’m incredibly blessed to be [with the Hornets] and to have the deal that I got, and I’m very happy. But as for Orlando, I didn’t hear much from the Orlando side (during free agency) because it was just so many new people. I’m sure it would have been different as far as communication-wise if Otis and Stan were still around.’’

Via Chris Tomasson/Fox Sports

Sounds like bad management? At only 24 he would have been a good core player for the Magic. He's averaging 18 ppg for the Hornets shooting 40% from three, and will only get better when Eric Gordon gets back in the next few games.

 

[Elite]

Seeking attention

 

[CameronCrazy06]

I like Anderson but it seems like the Magic new management just wanted a fresh start and having Anderson's contract on the books for many years probably wasn't what they wanted.

I don't get how Eric Gordon being back is going to make him better though. Eric Gordon just takes away shots from everyone else, and Anderson is a high-volume shooter.

 

[Pugz]

yea eric isnt going to make him or anyone better..

 

[jonathanlambert33]

I like Anderson but it seems like the Magic new management just wanted a fresh start and having Anderson's contract on the books for many years probably wasn't what they wanted.

I don't get how Eric Gordon being back is going to make him better though. Eric Gordon just takes away shots from everyone else, and Anderson is a high-volume shooter.

Yeah now that I think about it that makes sense.

And Eric Gordon is going to help Ryan Anderson and Ryan Anderson is going to help Eric Gordon. Without EJ the Hornets have a lack of scoring ability in our current guards which allows the opponent to help off of those guys and keep Anderson from getting lots of open looks. It doesn't really matter because with his height and his quick release he still gets off a ton of good looks but when Gordon returns Anderson is going to have more daylight from deep and vice versa Gordon will have a easier time converting at the rim because Anderson will pull his man away.

Gordon will create more spacing on the floor for the Hornets and more spacing equals better shot attempts. Look at Hedo when he played with Anderson, he's not Eric Gordon but he likes to do some of the same things (they both like having the ball in their hands, like to take open looks from deep, or get into the paint and to the line, both love the p&r). Heck Anderson's net rating while Hedo was on the court last season (who again is not what he once was, which makes it all that much more impressive) jumped from 6.0 without to 8.1 with. Neither Vasquez or Rivers do much to help Anderson get free or take full advantage of the spacing that Anderson creates, but with Gordon on the court he will be able to take advantage of that for both he and Anderson. To say Gordon won't help Anderson is absurd.

 

[CameronCrazy06]

And for every look that Eric Gordon helps Anderson with, he'll take away 2-3 more with his selfishness and refusal to make the extra pass.

 

[jonathanlambert33]

Maybe you'd have a point if we were talking about his rookie or sophomore seasons, but we aren't. His past two seasons with the Clippers and Hornets he's been a very solid passer. Average assist rate of 20 which isn't elite but still damn good for a wing. The fact that you say he's selfish makes me question how many times you've seen him play in the NBA? Seems like you're drawing your opinion off what he did in college at Indiana.

Not to even forget to mention, having Eric Gordon will help create more possessions which means more shots to go around.

 

[CameronCrazy06]

I've seen him play plenty in the pros plus I know his attitude as a whole. He's out there looking to score for himself first and foremost. He's not going to help Ryan Anderson because the more he has the ball, the less Greivis Vasquez has the ball. Vasquez is someone who constantly looks for others in open areas while Gordon isn't. I PROMISE you Anderson's numbers will go down when he comes back.

Plus Gordon's shots are going to take away from other people's shots in general.

 

[jonathanlambert33]

I've seen him play plenty in the pros plus I know his attitude as a whole. He's out there looking to score for himself first and foremost. He's not going to help Ryan Anderson because the more he has the ball, the less Greivis Vasquez has the ball. Vasquez is someone who constantly looks for others in open areas while Gordon isn't. I PROMISE you Anderson's numbers will go down when he comes back.

Sure Gordon looks for himself first (as he should), but in no way does that say Anderson will lose a extreme amount of looks per game. Anderson's shots may go down a slight bit (research suggests players shots went down about 1 a game with Gordon on the court vs him off the court) but his efficiency will go up even further with Gordon. That's what matters. He may lose a shot or so a game but his numbers won't take a hit.

So basically Anderson may see about a one shot decrease per game on average but his efficiency and percentages will increase more.

 

[CameronCrazy06]

Whose stats are you looking at for shots lost because they sure aren't Ryan Anderson's. Ryan Anderson has never played with Eric Gordon before.

 

[jonathanlambert33]

Al-Farouq Aminu, Jason Smith, Carl Landry, Greivis Vasquez, etc. Guys who played for the Hornets last year. Chris Kaman was impacted the most, took about three less shots per game with Gordon.

All lost a shot per 48 with Gordon or stayed the same.

Either way though, doesn't matter. Like I said earlier, it's absurd to think Anderson won't benefit from having Gordon on the court.

 

[CameronCrazy06]

None of those guys you named are shooters like Anderson is. It's ridiculous that you're looking at Al-Farouq Aminu's stats to see how Ryan is going to fare playing next to Eric Gordon. Like I said, I PROMISE you his scoring number goes down

 

[jonathanlambert33]

I'm not looking at anything to do with Anderson, I'm looking at how the "me first" Eric Gordon took away an extreme amount of shots away from guys when he came back last season. Data suggests Gordon didn't take away shots from individuals, all he did was help the team. We shall see what happens with Anderson's scoring numbers when Gordon is in the fold, there are so many different scenarios, all of which are good for the Hornets. Again though, Gordon may take shots away from Anderson, but he will help his efficiency. I'm ok with that, again nothing bad comes from getting Gordon back.

 

[CameronCrazy06]

All the players you named were at best part-time starters for a banged up Hornets team last year, and none of them shot the ball nearly as much as Ryan Anderson does. Anderson right now is the closest thing the Hornets have to a go-to scorer on the court. Obviously Gordon coming back takes shots away from Anderson because he's immediately going to step into that go-to scorer role; he's going to take shots away from everybody.

I don't get what is so hard about this.

 

[jonathanlambert33]

There's nothing hard about it, you're just grossly overstating how many less shots Anderson will take with Gordon.

Like I've said from the start, it'll be marginal at best. Anderson is taking 15 shots per game right now and that number won't decrease all that much with Gordon. They'll still make sure Anderson gets plenty of looks. The guys who will be effected by Gordon's presence are our guards that are taking a lot of shots right now that don't deserve them, like Vasquez, Rivers, Roberts, Henry, etc.

Those guys take about 34 shots a game, Gordon takes about 16-17 shots a game. Gordon will take a large chunk from those guys (35-40% or 12 or so shots), but Gordon will also increase the pace of the team and more turnovers, faster pace and more turnovers equals more possessions. Lets say two more shots from those possessions That leaves about 3-4 more shots that Gordon will take away from other guys, and more than likely he takes them away from another wing player like Lance Thomas, Dominic McGuire, Al-Farouq Aminu, or Darius Miller rather than Ryan, he'll average a shot or so less per game. Again, that's marginal and not a huge difference, especially considering his percentages should increase.

 

[CameronCrazy06]

Alright man, I'm not arguing this anymore. 1 shot. I'm holding you to that

 

[elcheato]

This is all irrelevant because Gordon is probably going to fracture his hip 5 games into his return.

 

[jonathanlambert33]

Now that I could agree with.

But it won't be a fractured hip, it will be something more along the lines of a jammed finger that keeps him out for three months.

 

[BwareDWare94]

Still can't believe the Hornets let Landry walk, but I guess at the time I thought they'd play AD at center.

 

[jonathanlambert33]

They wanted him back but in the end didn't think it was wise to give him a new deal since he is 29.