New Orleans Hornets officially introduce Ryan Anderson – NBA News
Ryan Anderson was officially signed by the New Orleans Hornets on Wednesday when the moratorium lifted, and talked about how excited he was to play for the Hornets next season. The
Hornets acquired Anderson in a trade with the Orlando Magic that sent Gustavo Ayon the other way. The development took place last Sunday.
Anderson averaged 16 points a game last season for the Magic, but feels he was not allowed to play the way he wanted in Orlando because the offense ran through All Star centre Dwight Howard. He considers himself to be a versatile
player who has good shooting abilities but can also bring a number of other things on the table.
The Hornets seem to agree and have been following him for some time now. Head coach Monty Williams had high praise for the sharp shooting forward.
"Ryan brought an element to the Magic that we had to talk about in film a lot. Those are the kind of players we want on our team, guys that we had to scout against and prepare for," said Williams.
Anderson will pair up with number 1 pick of this year’s NBA draft Anthony Davis in New Orleans, as they enter next season with a roster capable of making it into the playoffs. They have also picked up point guard Austin Rivers
in the draft.
“I'm definitely willing to move around and play different positions. Obviously shooting is something that's kind of been my strength but I think there are a lot more elements to my game that people haven't quite seen yet,” added
Anderson.
The Hornets were also hopeful of retaining Eric Gordon but after the Phoenix Suns gave him a four year $58 million offer, he has been openly stating his desire to play for the Suns. Gordon is a restricted free agent which means
the Hornets get to match any offer he may receive.
Initially, the Hornets were committed towards retaining him as a vital part of their rebuilding efforts, but his recent comments about his desire to play for Phoenix have not gone well with the management.
"We want people that want to be here. If you don't want to be here, we've got to make some adjustments,” said Williams.
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