Why Kyle Anderson Could Be a Significant Addition for the Timberwolves

The Timberwolves are bringing back a familiar face. They're set to reunite with veteran forward Kyle Anderson after he was bought out of his contract by the Grizzlies on Thursday. Anderson reportedly had interest from multiple teams, but he chose to come back to a franchise he knows well from a previous two-year stint in Minnesota (2022-24).

Buyout players typically don't make much of an impact on contending teams, considering they were available for a reason. Anderson, AKA "Slo Mo," might be an exception. There are a few reasons why he has a chance to be a significant addition for the Timberwolves in the stretch run of this season.

The first thing we should touch on has nothing to do with Anderson's abilities on the basketball court. For starters, the 32-year-old 12th-year veteran will bring leadership, maturity, and toughness to the Wolves' locker room. Anderson has been around the block in the NBA, first with the Gregg Popovich Spurs and then with the Grizzlies before his first Timberwolves stint. He's also a New Jersey native who isn't afraid to call it how he sees it (which infamously led to Rudy Gobert taking a swing at him a few years ago).

This Wolves team has a bit of a chronic issue with overlooking teams they're expected to beat and sleepwalking through at least portions of games. Anderson might be able to help with that by calling out teammates who aren't playing hard enough. He overlapped with five current Wolves — Gobert, Anthony Edwards, Mike Conley, Jaden McDaniels, and Naz Reid — when he was last in Minnesota, so his voice should still carry weight within the organization. Edwards and other players are apparently fired up about Slo Mo's return.

Kyle Anderson with Anthony Edwards and Rudy Gobert in 2024 | Jerome Miron-Imagn Images

Even if Anderson were only brought in for vibes and professionalism, he'd be a sensible use of Minnesota's open roster spot. That's why Joe Ingles is on the team, and it's probably the main reason Conley was brought back after the trade deadline. But Anderson is six years younger than those two guys and might still have plenty to offer on the court.

Anyone who has watched Anderson play basketball knows he's not much of an outside shooter. His form is funky and deliberate, to say the least (though his career 34 percent mark from three actually isn't awful). Despite that limitation, he's carved out a long NBA career by being good at lots of other things. He's a solid rebounder at 6'8". He's a good secondary playmaker who had three triple-doubles for the Wolves in the 2022-23 season. His length and instincts make him a plus defender; he's averaged 1.7 steals and 1 block per 36 minutes for his career. He can also score around the rim.

Less than two months ago, Anderson put up 22 points, 8 rebounds, 2 steals, and 2 blocks in a Utah Jazz uniform. He's still got some gas in the tank.

Kyle Anderson had quite the game vs the Clippers the other night

Going from DNP's to 22-8-2-2 is quite the change in production

Still feels like he could help some teams pic.twitter.com/HuR0NjDe8q
— Jazz Lead (@JazzLead) January 3, 2026

The biggest traits that Anderson brings to the table are versatility and intelligence. He can address some of the Wolves' need for interior defense when Gobert is off the floor, as he's capable of guarding opposing centers. He also can do some facilitating on the offensive end, and his familiarity with Chris Finch and a big chunk of Minnesota's roster should make for an easy re-acclimation.

Knowing Finch's past affinity for Anderson, it wouldn't be surprising at all to see him crack the Wolves' rotation sooner or later. Beyond the team's starting five and top two bench players (Reid and Ayo Dosunmu), no one else has stamped themselves as a lock for 15-plus minutes a night. Bones Hyland has had some moments and currently seems to be the eighth man. Terrence Shannon Jr. has had a disappointing season marred by injury. Jaylen Clark has major limitations. Joan Beringer is in the development phase.

Anderson's all-around skill set could make it difficult for Finch to keep him off the floor. The Wolves can surround him with four shooters in non-Gobert minutes or play him alongside Gobert. His game looks a bit unconventional, but Anderson has a long history of making winning plays in the NBA. In addition to his leadership off of the court, he might be able to help the Wolves on the court as they look to make another deep playoff run.