The Toronto Raptors added another piece to their puzzle Monday, agreeing to a one-year, $3.9 million deal with veteran forward Kyle Anderson. ESPN’s Shams Charania broke the news first, and it’s a move that reunites Anderson with a familiar face — Kawhi Leonard.
Anderson and Leonard were Spurs teammates from 2014 to 2018, back when San Antonio was still a Western Conference powerhouse. Leonard got traded to Toronto ahead of their 2019 championship run, and Anderson eventually left for Memphis as a free agent. Now they’re back in the same locker room, which is either a nice story about old friends or a sign that the Raptors are trying to build something serious around Leonard and Scottie Barnes. Probably both.
Anderson’s wild 2025-26 season
Anderson logged serious frequent flyer miles last season. He started with the Utah Jazz, played 20 games, then got shipped out in the Jaren Jackson Jr. trade. He finished that season with Memphis, got waived in February, and picked up by Minnesota for the rest of the year. Three teams. Four cities. Same reliable output.
Across 43 games, he averaged 6.2 points, 3.5 rebounds and 2.9 assists while shooting 53% from the floor and 36.4% from deep. Those aren’t flashy numbers, but Anderson’s always been a glue guy — smart with the ball, solid defensively, and he knows where to be. That’s exactly what a team trying to contend needs off the bench.
The Raptors also needed a forward after Sandro Mamukelashvili left for the Lakers at the start of free agency. Anderson slots in nicely there. He’s not going to fill a stat sheet, but he’s the kind of veteran who helps a young roster play the right way.
What this means for Toronto’s rotation
The Raptors are clearly all-in on winning now. Bringing back Leonard was the headline move, but adding Anderson shows they’re thinking about depth too. Anderson can play both forward spots, which gives coach Darko Rajaković some flexibility. He might even see minutes at small-ball four if they want to go smaller and faster.
There’s also the comfort factor. Anderson knows Leonard’s game, knows how to play off a star, and won’t need a ton of reps to find his spots. That kind of veteran IQ is valuable when you’re trying to build chemistry on the fly.
Toronto still has work to do — the East is loaded, and the Raptors aren’t quite at the top of the pecking order yet. But this signing is a low-risk, high-reward move that fills a need and adds a proven pro to the locker room. Sometimes that’s all you need.
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