Ryan Anderson says his contract became a mental burden in Houston

“I felt like every time I was in Houston, I was letting down the fans, or something like that,” Ryan Anderson said on a recent podcast.

On a newly released episode of The Long Shot podcast, former Rockets forward Ryan Anderson opened up on his underwhelming stint in Houston during the NBA’s 2016-17 and 2017-18 seasons. Anderson spoke to Miami Heat swingman Duncan Robinson, who hosts the show.

A 6-foot-10 forward, Anderson signed a four-year, $80-million contract with Houston in July 2016 — which was the offseason when the league’s salary cap went through a historic one-time spike. The influx of teams with significant cap space and unprecedented competition for free agents led to many players around the league, including Anderson, being paid much more than their production would normally suggest.

While Anderson’s production never lived up to the salary, he fared reasonably well in his first season in Houston — scoring 13.6 points in 29.4 minutes per game on 40.3% shooting from 3-point range. That type of long-range shooting from a big man was very useful in spacing the floor for superstar guard James Harden. But in year two, Anderson faced new competition for playing time in the form of recently signed forward PJ Tucker, and Anderson’s defensive limitations gradually led to him falling out of the rotation used by head coach Mike D’Antoni.

Another factor was Anderson’s inconsistency as a shooter. Many fans nicknamed him “Road Ryno,” in reference to the fact that he shot significantly better away from Toyota Center. In 2016-17, he shot 46.5% on 3-pointers on the road and 33.2% at home. The same trend held in 2017-18, with a 42.2% clip on the road and 34.4% at home.

On the podcast, Anderson said the burden of fan expectations in Houston after signing such a large contract played a role. He explains:

It was a new thing for me, because I had sort of always been the underdog, overachieving and now I was sort of the overpaid guy who was underachieving from what they wanted even though I was doing everything that they paid me for and we were the most successful team in the NBA.

It was hard for me to be the guy that was like, ‘You need to do more and we’re paying you a lot for this,’ rather than before it was like, ‘Wow, we got a steal for this guy.’ It really affected me at home. I felt like every time I was in Houston, I was letting down the fans, or something like that.

Houston’s one of those sports cities where just the pressure is always on you, and that’s all people want to talk about with you.

Though he was mostly in a positive mood on the podcast, Anderson suggested that he was unhappy in his role with the Rockets, where he largely operated as a stationary shooter around Harden. He also made a joke at his own expense, alluding to his clear limitations in the switch-heavy defense favored by D’Antoni and lead assistant Jeff Bzdelik.

It was a challenge for me, especially not being put in a position to thrive. In New Orleans … I was put in a position to thrive. I was not put in a position to show every ability I could in Houston.

It is a tough thing when you’re getting zero credit, especially when you’re making a lot of money and you’re getting two shots with like two seconds left on the shot clock and you miss them and you’re 0-for-2 from 3 and everyone says that I suck. This is the greatest part about not being in the NBA right now because I can just unload on how much that pisses me off. People don’t want to hear it. I made a lot of money, I’ve lived a great life. I’m so blessed, I love it, but the game’s not fun when you have to just stand there and you’re not involved at all. You want to be involved, you want to be a part of the offense. …

And, I’m not a good defender either, so I’d always have to switch on Steph Curry, and he’d make buckets on me, and then I’m the idiot.

Anderson was eventually traded away from Houston in August 2018, largely for the purpose of shedding his salary and the associated luxury tax implications. Just over a year later, he signed a minimum deal with Houston before the 2019-20 season — but he played sparingly in just two games before being released. Now 33 years old, he hasn’t played in the NBA since, and it seems possible that his career could be over.

Anderson suffered a series of significant injuries between 2013 and 2016, including a neck injury that required surgery. That seemed to take away some of the impressive athleticism shown earlier in his career, and in turn, that limited his value to the Rockets and other NBA teams.

In all, during a 12-year NBA career, Anderson averaged 12.3 points (38.0% on 3-pointers) in 25.8 minutes per game. He was selected No. 21 overall by the Nets in the first round of the 2008 draft.

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