Kyle Anderson is one of one. He’s truly one of the league’s more unique role players. Anderson lives up to his “SlowMo” moniker with his deceptively slow style of play. Kyle has only been with the Minnesota Timberwolves for two seasons, but it has been full of peaks and valleys.
He was Minnesota’s most important role player in 2022-23, but an eye injury derailed him in the playoffs. Anderson has a new role this season, adjusting to his decreased offensive ability by completely ditching his three-point shot. Still, he’s shining against the Dallas Mavericks in the Western Conference Finals.
It has been quite the journey in such a short time span.
Anderson is difficult to gauge offensively because he needs specific circumstances to be productive. He isn’t going to load up the box score or offer much scoring. He has dreadful slumps and is nearly unplayable when he cannot find his rhythm.
Anderson’s volatility put Chris Finch in a predicament as the Wolves headed toward the playoffs. Finch needed to decide who would be out of the playoff rotation to give the starters those vital minutes.
The decision came down to a key trio of players: Monte Morris, Jordan McLaughlin, and Anderson. All three are pass-first players who bring their own flair to the game. Finch gave all three opportunities, but Anderson won out because of his defensive ability and size advantage.
Similar to this regular season, Anderson was inconsistent to begin the playoffs. While he brings immense value as a 6’9” facilitator, abandoning his three-point shot has severely limited his offensive lineup combination potential and overall offensive play. That makes it challenging to plug him into any lineups featuring Rudy Gobert, something Coach Finch loves to do. While the defensive upside is there, it must do enough to outweigh the offense.
Anderson played limited minutes in Minnesota’s opening series against the Phoenix Suns, primarily due to schematic choices. The Wolves needed a super-powered offense against the Suns and didn’t have him in their game plan. Anderson didn’t play in Game 2 and only played 10 minutes per game in the three games he played against Phoenix.
Finch unleashed Anderson against the Denver Nuggets in the next round. However, with more playing time came more volatility.
Anderson’s high point came during Minnesota’s triumphant 26-point Game 2 win in Denver. Anderson started over Rudy Gobert, who missed the first game for the birth of his first child. Anderson shined as a crucial part of Minnesota’s ability to throw multiple defensive looks toward Nikola Jokic.
However, Anderson also struggled against the Nuggets, including a Game 5 loss that gave Denver the 3-2 lead. Anderson only played 6:11 seconds and still was -18. The Wolves won Game 7 to move on to the next round, but it was uneasy for Anderson. He only averaged 2.3 points on 33.3% from the field and 2.3 assists in 12.6 minutes per game, and his on-court play didn’t justify more playing time.
However, Anderson matched up well against Dallas in the next round. In the past, Anderson has found ways to be a defensive weapon against Luka Doncic due to his impressive size and strength, defensive pedigree, and overall versatility. Unexpectedly, though, he’s also contributed offensively. Anderson is averaging 7.5 points on 59.1% from the field and 3.5 assists, doing whatever it takes to find his offensive role in unique ways.
Karl-Anthony Towns and Anthony Edwards applauded Anderson for his play after Game 4. Edwards shined the light on that screen he set to give Ant a window for a skip pass, leading to KAT’s fourth three of the game.
Kyle is special, he does everything we need. He’s the X-Factor. I was dribbling the ball, damn sure about to shoot it. I seen him pointing at big fella (KAT), I see big fella, and he cashed out. Kyle made that play happen, he orchestrated that. He made a lot of plays happen.
Chris Finch expressed his trust in Anderson after the game. Finch’s confidence in Anderson has never wavered throughout the past two seasons, through the good and the bad.
He’s so smart he finds the right spaces. He gets the ball to the right people. He’s handling, he’s screening, he’s playcalling.
Some of it is just Kyle with the freedom that we give him to run the offense, he got us into some really clever things tonight. Just understanding how to get guys involved.
Anderson has highs and lows like any other player. His unique skill set may create difficult margins to work with, but his unbelievable knowledge of the game and overall basketball IQ have remained invaluable to the Wolves.
Much of Anderson’s skill set is creating offensive flow. Good things happen when Kyle quickly gets involved away from the ball by setting screens or flashing in the paint for a floater. He can also be successful when he can get into handoffs with teammates or operate out of the short roll on the ball. It’s all about finding those gaps for success. The defense will always be present, but the offense is always the unlocking point.
There’s no telling where it goes from here. The Wolves must win three straight games to advance past Dallas, and Anderson is in the final year of his two-year deal. His impact has been evident over these two seasons, and he’s only a role player. Those frustrating lows will be normal for a player with his salary and overall importance on the court. Still, Tim Connelly and the Wolves can ultimately say they made the most of Anderson’s two-year, $18 million deal.