7:09pm: The Suns have officially announced that Granger has indeed opted in for next season.
3:21pm: Suns forward Danny Granger has picked up his player option worth $2,170,465 for the 2015/16 season, Eric Pincus of Basketball Insiders reports (Twitter link). This means that the Creative Artists Agency client, represented by Aaron Mintz, will be eligible to hit unrestricted free agency during the summer of 2016. Granger, who was acquired by Phoenix from the Heat at this season’s trade deadline, has been working with the team’s athletic training staff to overcome health issues associated with his twice-surgically repaired left knee.
The return of Granger now gives the Suns a total of nine players with fully guaranteed deals for next season, and ten players under contract overall including Jerel McNeal‘s non-guaranteed pact. Phoenix now has $42,209,043 in guaranteed money on the books for 2014/15. The franchise also has to make a decision on Brandon Knight, who is eligible to become a restricted free agent, provided that the Suns tender him a qualifying offer worth $4,790,680.
Granger reportedly contemplated retirement after undergoing knee surgery when he was with the Pacers in 2013. But Phoenix’s stellar medical team has him convinced that he can be “fixed,” and return to being a productive player. The 32-year-old did not log a single minute of action for the Suns this season after arriving in Phoenix. He had previously appeared in 30 contests for Miami, averaging 6.3 points, 2.7 rebounds, and 0.6 assists in 20.4 minutes per game. His career stats are 16.8 points, 4.9 rebounds, and 1.9 assists. His career slash line is .434/.380/.848.
Great. Now we have 1 $13M PG in Bledsoe, a restricted FA Combo-Guard in Knight, a raw, athletic SG prospect in Goodwin, an unproven wing in Bullock, a scrappy lil SF in Tucker, an inconsistent tweener in Marcus Morris, a good young SF in TJ Warren whose minutes will take a hit because we have a Grant Hill-wannabe in Granger for another year. Our one and only PF, Markeiff Morris, may be sharing a prison cell with his twin and Alex Len is our only C but he’s had bad luck trying to stay healthy. McNeal should probably be back but can he step up if one of our PG’S go down? Bogdan Bogdanovic may be over in a year or so but who knows what he’ll do in the big leagues.
Oh yeah and all this imbalance on a team trying to get over the hump in the same division as the 67-game-winning reigning champions.
Goooo Suns!