Leading up to the Feb. 18 trade deadline, theScore's NBA editors will try to find the best deals for players reportedly on the market. Next up, Ryan Anderson.
The New Orleans Pelicans had their wings clipped earlier in the season with several key players (Tyreke Evans, Jrue Holiday, Omer Asik, and Norris Cole) sidelined due to injury, resulting in a pitiful 1-11 start which they have yet to fully bounce back from.
This year's trade deadline is quickly approaching, and with a potential postseason berth for a second consecutive year slowly slipping away with every loss, anyone not named Anthony Davis shouldn't feel 100 percent secure about their standing on the Pels' underachieving roster.
Ryan Anderson is a name that continuously pops up as trade bait, playing in the final year of his contract that will pay him $8.5 million. The Pelicans hold his Bird Rights, meaning they can exceed the salary cap to re-sign him over the offseason, but with a little over $70 million already on the books for 2016-17, management may look to ship him off with fear of losing him for nothing.
Related: Why the Boston Celtics should trade for Al Horford
While not as worse off as New Orleans in the standings, the Washington Wizards have also been bitten by the injury bug, leading the league in man games lost at 206 as of Feb. 4. John Wall and Ramon Sessions are the only two players to have suited up in every one of their games, which helps explain why Washington is nine games off its pace from last season.
All hope isn't lost, though, with just three games separating Washington from the eighth and final playoff spot in a tight Eastern Conference playoff race. Adding another piece to the puzzle could catapult the Wizards back towards the middle of the pack where they're accustomed to being.
Acquiring Anderson could help get them there.
Veteran forward Jared Dudley has done a fine job as the starting power forward in head coach Randy Wittman's rotation, and is an optimal fit with the team running more small-ball lineups. It's certainly helped the Wizards push the tempo, jumping from 16th in pace (96) last season to fourth (100.2) this year.
Dealing for Anderson wouldn't necessarily spell the demise of Dudley with that group. The 27-year-old forward has come off the bench 308 times out of a possible 466 games during his eight-year career, putting up fantastic numbers as one of the NBA's top reserves.
What Anderson brings to the table is another reliable scoring option to pair alongside the backcourt tandem of John Wall and Bradley Beal, who account for a touch over 38 points per game. Beal has a storied history of missing games due to issues with his right fibula, and while he's returned following a 16-game absence with the injury, there will always be a level of concern over his durability.
Anderson has three games this season where he's scored 30 or more points (two as a starter), and 15 with 20 or more. He's money offensively, with a touch from behind the arc that very few men in the league at his size can say they have, connecting on 38.8 percent of his attempts from deep through 48 games (32nd).
Kris Humphries is on a different wavelength than that of Anderson, functioning as more of a steady hand than a difference-maker on the hardwood. He's reasonably priced through next season at approximately $4.6 million per year, and with the rising cap, he'd be a mere blip on the financial radar compared to what it would cost to retain Anderson.
The 12th-year pro has even developed a 3-point shot for his repertoire. He's hit 23 of his attempts from the perimeter - his first since his rookie campaign. It's a work in progress, and it's not as if he'd be nearly as efficient as Anderson, but bigs who can stretch the floor and play away from the rim are a commodity.
There's obvious risk with Humphries having not played since Jan. 3 because of calcification in his knee, but he could be back in action as soon as Tuesday against the New York Knicks, according to CSN's J. Michael. Besides, he wouldn't be the primary asset being moved anyway.
That distinction belongs to rookie Kelly Oubre, the 15th overall pick in the 2015 NBA Draft out of the University of Kansas.
A native of New Orleans, Oubre could be molded into the Pelicans' small forward of the future, instead of coach Alvin Gentry having to regularly trot out filler options. His biggest contribution up until mid-December was getting fined for making an obscene gesture, but since becoming a regular part of the rotation, Oubre has shown signs of being a dependable 3-and-D wing who can be an impact player.
At 6-foot-7 with a crazy 7-foot-2 wingspan, Oubre is a prospect any coach would want on a young, upstart roster. Frankly, putting pieces around Davis with high upside is crucial to keeping him happy, and with a larger role, Oubre may not need another year or two to become a regular contributor in a (hopeful) winning situation.
Pelicans fans need to temper expectations in terms of what they're hoping will come in a package for Anderson, who may ultimately turn out to be a rental for any squad he potentially lands with. A veteran frontcourt presence in Humphries and a rookie with a world of potential in Oubre is realistic, fair compensation.
Proposed Framework
