A Justin Anderson Comparison That Could Excite Philadelphia 76ers Fans
By Brian Jacobs
Justin Anderson will forever be remembered as the guy the Philadelphia 76ers received in the Nerlens Noel trade. Anderson’s upside is being overlooked by many, blinded by their frustration over Bryan Colangelo’s trade with the Dallas Mavericks in late February.
It has been a small sample size so far for Philadelphia 76ers small forward/shooting guard Justin Anderson. Still, he has shown flashes of what he could provide in the coming years as a member of the Philadelphia 76ers.
So far in the month of March, “Simba” is averaging (per 36 minutes) 17.2 points (25.8 minutes per game), along with 8.1 rebounds, while shooting 56.8 percent from the field.
The scoring has been a bonus, because that’s not what the Sixers are going to need from Anderson going forward. They need him to be active, play hard-nose defense like he did the other night against Carmelo Anthony, and rebound the basketball. His high motor and activity level will allow points to come to him (much like Nerlens Noel).
Trey Troubles
The elephant in the room is Anderson’s three-point shot. He is shooting it at a 26.7-percent rate so far in the month of March and 29.3 for the season. In his junior season with the Virginia Cavaliers, he shot 45.2 percent from behind the arc. His shot isn’t broken, but it needs work, much like Ben Simmons‘ jumper.
With all of this said, it’s time to make a comparison to what Justin Anderson could be for the 76ers. To do that, let’s take a 23-year-old Boston Celtics wing Avery Bradley . It makes sense to compare his numbers at that age with Justin Anderson’s. Why Bradley? Both have similar styles. To be fair, let’s compare both at 23 years old, playing his second season in the NBA.
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Points Per 36 Minutes
- Justin Anderson – 14.5
- Avery Bradley – 14.1
Rebounds Per 36 Minutes
- Justin Anderson – 7.5
- Avery Bradley – 3.5
Assists Per 36 Minutes
- Justin Anderson – 1.7
- Avery Bradley – 2.2
Steals Per 36 Minutes
- Justin Anderson – 1.2
- Avery Bradley – 1.3
Blocks Per 36 Minutes
- Justin Anderson – 1.0
- Avery Bradley – 0.3
Turnovers Per 36 Minutes
- Justin Anderson – 1.7
- Avery Bradley – 1.9
Field Goal Percentage
- Justin Anderson – 41.7%
- Avery Bradley – 43.8%
Three Point Percentage
- Justin Anderson – 28.3%
- Avery Bradley – 36.6%
Offensive Rating
- Justin Anderson – 103
- Avery Bradley – 96
Defensive Rating
- Justin Anderson – 106
- Avery Bradley – 106
If Anderson can develop into a player comparable to Bradley, the Sixers got exactly what they were looking for in the Noel trade. It’ll be difficult for some Sixers fans to accept that this transaction could end up becoming beneficial. But the least fans can do is give the kid a chance in the red, white, and blue. Patience is one of the advantages the Philadelphia 76ers have over other teams.
Anderson is on the books for potentially three more years after this season:
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- 2017-2018: $1,579,440
- 2018-2019: $2,516,047 (team option)
- 2019-2020: $3,625,625 (qualifying offer)
What This Means
It is being speculated that Nerlens Noel could end up making somewhere between $80 million and $100 million over four seasons when he signs his contract extension this summer. The Dallas Mavericks have the right to match any offer thrown at their restricted free agent and this was a hot topic during Noel’s days with Philadelphia; do you match? Most likely, Dallas will, which is why they traded for him in the first place.
For the Sixers and Colangelo, this can be viewed as saved cap. Yes, I know we will miss what Nerlens brings to the team when engaged, but the team currently has Joel Embiid, Jahlil Okafor, and Richaun Holmes under contract for the 2017-18 season. The team needed a three-and-D, wing slasher, and they potentially have one going forward in Anderson (on a very cheap contract).
With the aforementioned saved cap, the team can use it to pursue free agents, and depending how it’s spent, you won’t be able to judge the true value of what the Sixers received in the trade with Dallas. If they do end up landing a Kentavious Caldwell-Pope or Otto Porter, it’s fair to view them (saved cap) as part of the return in the Mavericks trade.
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What can be judged will be the development of Justin Anderson, who was much more than a stocking stuffer in the Noel deal.