Reviews: Ryan Anderson addition a good fit for Rockets ... at one end

Ryan Anderson's addition is seen as being a fit for new Rockets coach Mike D'Antoni's offense. Ryan Anderson's addition is seen as being a fit for new Rockets coach Mike D'Antoni's offense. Photo: Max Becherer, AP Photo: Max Becherer, AP Image 1 of / 14 Caption Close Reviews: Ryan Anderson addition a good fit for Rockets ... at one end 1 / 14 Back to Gallery

The consensus on the Rockets' free-agent addition of forward Ryan Anderson is this: He's a perfect component for new coach Mike D'Antoni's wide-open offense.

As Yahoo's Bill DiFilippo pointed out, "The Rockets have long been one of the more trigger-happy teams in the NBA when it comes from shooting from downtown, and adding in a guy like Anderson – who averaged a little over six attempts from downtown a game in New Orleans – is going to make for some entertaining offensive basketball."

But when it comes to the Rockets of recent years, there's always a caveat. That pesky little thing called defense.

Bev/Harden/Ariza/Anderson/Capela should be a pretty dynamic scoring lineup. Rox looking for another ball-handler. Defense....... — Zach Lowe (@ZachLowe_NBA) July 2, 2016

Sports Illustrated's Rob Mahoney said Anderson and fellow free-agent addition Eric Gordon "complicate the defensive prospects of a team that ranked 21st in the league in points allowed per possession and let its best defensive player (Dwight Howard) walk in free agency.

"Anderson's (defensive issues), too, are real and rooted in iffy instincts and lacking lateral mobility. Gordon is more solid in relative terms but by no means a solution."

Mahoney also pointed out each player's injury issues over the years: Anderson has played 80 games in a season just once in his eight-year career. Gordon, meanwhile, played 78 games in his rookie year with the Clippers but hasn't played more than 64 in any season since.

In giving the additions of Anderson and Gordon C+ grades, Mahoney called the moves "incremental change for a team very much in need of a refresh."

While it remains to be seen if the Rockets will be a contender after these moves, they figure to at least be entertaining at one end of the court.