With no timeline set just yet for how long San Antonio Spurs starting center Pau Gasol will be out of action due to a recent fractured finger, the Spurs will be looking to add support to their frontcourt soon, and the player they’ll bring in is one who spent some time with the team in training camp in October – forward/center Joel Anthony.
According to Shams Charania of the Vertical, the Spurs will be signing Anthony to a 10-day contract. Anthony, 34, was one of the Spurs’ final training camp cuts back on October 22, 2016, just three days before the regular season began.
At 6’9″, Anthony has the body to either defend 4s or 5s in the NBA, as he’s played both positions during different times in his 9-year NBA career. During his career, Anthony has played for the Miami Heat, Boston Celtics and Detroit Pistons.
Though he never logged an official minute in the regular season with the Spurs, the fact that he attended training camp and played in the preseason gives him an edge as a support piece, because he’s somewhat familiar with the team philosophy and he’s had experience playing with some of the players already.
Depending on how long Gasol is out, the Spurs can offer Anthony up to two 10-days contracts, but after that, the team would have to determine if he should be waived or if his contract will become guaranteed for the remainder of the season.
In 471 regular season games throughout his NBA career, Anthony has averaged 2.2 points, 2.8 rebounds and 1.1 blocks per game.
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