Ryan Anderson won the league's Most Improved Player at the absolute right time for his career. Anderson became a go-to scoring option for the Magic last season in averaging 16.1 points per game, 7.7 rebounds per game and 39.3 percent shooting from beyond the arc. He had 20 or more points 21 times this season and proved himself to be much more than just a spot-up 3-point shooter with his surprisingly high offensive rebounding numbers.
Anderson made both Rashard Lewis and Brandon Bass expendable in the matter of two seasons with the Magic.
Unfortunately, for the Magic, that revelation came at an absolutely horrible time for the franchise. The Dwight Howard uncertainty and a (sudden) reluctance to commit long term to any player led to the Magic allowing Anderson's contract to lapse without exercising a team option for 2012-13 or offering an extension.
On July 1, Anderson will become a restricted free agent and, thanks to his cap hold, priority number one as the Magic try to ...
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June 20, 2012
