Ryan Anderson, a 10-year NBA veteran who helped the Houston Rockets into the playoffs the past two seasons, has been traded to the Phoenix Suns in a four-player deal, according to multiple reports yesterday.
ESPN and the Houston Chronicle, citing unnamed sources, said the deal will send Anderson, a power forward, and guard De’Anthony Melton to the Suns in exchange for guard Brandon Knight and forward Marquese Chriss.
Anderson has two years at $41.7mn remaining on his contract and was likely to see limited playing time with the Rockets after the signing of 10-time All-Star forward Carmelo Anthony to a $2.4mn deal on August 13.
Anderson, who began his NBA career in 2008 for the then-New Jersey Nets, was the league’s Most Improved Player in 2012 with Orlando and also spent 2012-2016 with New Orleans before joining the Rockets.
After starting in his first campaign with Houston, Anderson saw less playing time last season, when the team compiled the best record in the NBA at 65-17 but lost to eventual champion Golden State in the Western Conference finals.
Anderson, 30, has career averages of 12.8 points and 5.4 rebounds over 622 career NBA contests. Chriss, 21, averaged 8.5 points and 4.8 rebounds over his first two NBA seasons while Knight, 26, missed last season with a left knee injury but has averaged 15.2 points in a combined six seasons with Detroit, Milwaukee and Phoenix.

Warriors West retires from NBA after 15 seasons
Golden State Warriors All-Star David West announced his retirement from basketball on Thursday after 15 seasons in the NBA. West, 38, who played for the Warriors in their two most recent NBA Finals-winning seasons in 2017 and 2018, confirmed his decision to quit in a post on social media.
“I have been fortunate enough to live out my childhood dream of playing in the NBA,” West wrote. “After 15 seasons I have decided to retire from the game of basketball.”
West’s career also included spells with New Orleans, Indiana and San Antonio. He averaged 13.6 points and 6.4 rebounds. Warriors coach Steve Kerr said in a statement that West was “a true champion in every sense of the word.”
“David was a consummate professional throughout his entire career and was a huge presence in our locker room the last two years,” Kerr said. “The respect that he commanded was palpable every single day he walked in the door, and the leadership that he provided to our team was critical to our success. He had the unique ability to connect with both the veteran and young players and the mentoring he provided our younger group was invaluable. The consistency that he displayed at a high level on the court for 15 years was amazing and a testament to his hard work and dedication.”

Bosh ready to attempt
return with Lakers?
Chris Bosh wants to play basketball again, two years after he was forced to retire because of blood-clotting issues. If Bosh can get back on the court, he would not dismiss a reunion with LeBron James as part of the new-look Los Angeles Lakers.
“Yeah, (a comeback is) still on my mind,” Bosh said. “Obviously, if it doesn’t happen by February (the NBA’s trade deadline), I’m not stupid, but yeah, I’m still looking forward to that. I’m still trying to overcome that hump and trying to get something going. I’m looking forward to the challenge. I know I can still play some ball and be a 3-and-D guy for somebody out there.”
Bosh, 34, sidelined for most of the 2014-15 and 2015-16 NBA seasons, was a member of the Miami Heat and the Big Three with James and Dwyane Wade. In four seasons together, they won two NBA titles. Heat president Pat Riley said when Miami parted with Bosh due to medical concerns that Bosh was very “open-minded” regarding his playing future. But the Heat medical team would not give Bosh clearance to return.
Whether he could clear medical evaluations two years later is uncertain. James signed with the Lakers in free agency in July. If he gets the green light, would Bosh look at LA first? “That would be the Laker Show plus the Old-Man Show,” Bosh joked.