Anderson was selected with the 21st overall pick in the 2008 NBA draft by the New Jersey Nets, who traded him to the Orlando Magic in June 2009.

Anderson was traded to the Miami Heat in February 2019 and returned to the Rockets in September of the same year before being waived two months later.

Anderson was born in Sacramento, California[1] and attended Oak Ridge High School in nearby El Dorado Hills.

In 2005, Anderson helped lead the Oak Ridge Trojans to the Division II California State Championship.

On June 25, 2009, Anderson was traded, along with Vince Carter, to the Orlando Magic in exchange for Rafer Alston, Tony Battie and Courtney Lee.

[10] In the lockout-shortened 2011–12 season, Anderson won the NBA Most Improved Player Award after averaging 16.1 points and 7.7 rebounds in 61 games.

[15] On January 3, 2014, Anderson suffered a neck injury colliding with Gerald Wallace in the Pelicans' 95–92 win over the Boston Celtics.

Anderson, who had to be removed from the court on a stretcher, required neck surgery and was ruled out for the rest of the season in late March.

Starting in just his seventh game of the season, at power forward in place of the injured Anthony Davis, Anderson's 30 first half points set a franchise record.

[23] He made his debut for the Rockets in their season opener on October 26, recording 14 points and six rebounds in a 120–114 loss to the Los Angeles Lakers.

[25] During the 2017 NBA playoffs, Anderson scored 19 points during a 110–107 overtime WCSF Game Five loss to the San Antonio Spurs.

[28] On August 31, 2018, Anderson was traded alongside rookie guard De'Anthony Melton to the Phoenix Suns in exchange for Brandon Knight and Marquese Chriss.

[35][36] He and former teammate Anthony Davis took 75 underprivileged children on a shopping spree at Toys-R-Us in 2014, and they donated 2,000 Pelicans tickets in 2015.