Danny Granger Rumors | Hoops Rumors

Western Notes: Brooks, Nuggets, Granger

February 26th, 2014 at 10:54pm CST by Cray Allred

After a long, frustrating stretch to begin the season, Donatas Motiejunas is happy to be getting extended playing time for the first time, he tells Jonathan Feigen of The Houston Chronicle. In his second NBA season, Motiejunas has continued to work and prove that he belongs: “It’s much harder when you get no attention when you’re working day-by-day really hard. That was happening for the most part of the season, almost half of the season. Right now, I get my chance. Whatever it takes, I try not to blow it away.” Here’s more from the Western Conference:

Aaron Brooks told Aaron J. Lopez of Nuggets.com that he declined the deal that sent him to the Nuggets last week before changing his mind and waiving his no-trade clause: “I have a lot of family and friends in Houston. I was there almost five years total in my career. The connection I have with them was real close. It’s funny because I actually declined (the trade) at first and then went back and thought about it and OK’d it. Denver’s an up-and-coming team. They have talent and I thought it was a good opportunity.”
Chris Dempsey of The Denver Post thinks the Nuggets made the right choice in keeping their roster mostly intact through last week’s trade deadline. Dempsey doesn’t think the team that has been ravaged by injuries could improve much through trades this season, and was wise to take more time to evaluate its young players through the summer and hope to add a difference maker with a lottery pick in the draft.
Marc Stein and Ramona Shelburne of ESPN reiterated that the Clippers and Spurs are the top suitors for Danny Granger following his buyout. Stein and Shelburne say the Clippers have the edge, since they can offer more playing time to Granger. The report also notes that Granger has an offseason home in Los Angeles.
Shelburne also says that the Clippers are not a lock since Granger wants to keep the process open, although Granger’s representatives were present at the Clippers/Rockets game to meet with Los Angeles officials (Twitter links). Shelburne adds that the Rockets’ push to sign Granger could have something to do with his representatives’ presence.
Clippers coach Doc Rivers said that he would take part in recruiting Granger, per a tweet from Arash Markazi of ESPN LA.

Sixers Reach Buyout Deal With Danny Granger

February 26th, 2014 at 10:38pm CST by Chuck Myron

10:38pm: Granger’s representatives were present at the Clippers/Rockets game to meet with Los Angeles officials, per Shelburne (Twitter link). Shelburne adds that the Rockets’ push to sign Granger could have something to do with the appearance.

5:05pm: Stein and ESPN.com colleague Ramona Shelburne suggest in their full story that the Clippers are the favorites, and add that Granger is seeking a championship contender as well as playing time.

4:09pm: The Sixers and Danny Granger have reached agreement on a buyout, the team has announced, and Philadelphia has placed the 30-year-old on waivers. David Aldridge of NBA.com first reported the news. The Clippers have emerged as front runners for Granger, writes Adrian Wojnarowski of Yahoo! Sports. Aldridge names the Clippers, Rockets, Bulls, Heat and Spurs as Granger’s preferred destinations, reiterating his report from earlier today. Marc Stein of ESPN.com casts it as a battle between the Clippers and the Spurs (Twitter link).

“Given Danny’s future goals and his desire to pursue them, we worked to fulfill his requests and have come to a resolution that we feel is mutually beneficial to both Danny and our organization,” Sixers GM Sam Hinkie said in a statement. “We wish Danny the best in the next phase of his career.”

The Pacers traded Granger to the Sixers at the deadline, but Granger was upset upon hearing the news. The Sixers hesitated as they pondered retaining the former All-Star for a possible sign-and-trade in the summer, but they wound up acquiescing to his desires. It’s not clear how much money Granger is forfeiting from his more than $14MM salary.

The Creative Artists Agency client figures to be the prize of the buyout market, even though one GM told Sam Amico of Fox Sports Ohio that he thinks the ninth-year veteran is “done” after injuries that have plagued him the last two seasons. Chris Mannix of SI.com reiterates Stein’s report that the Spurs and Clippers are the front runners, having heard that from executives with other clubs (Twitter link).

Southwest Notes: Granger, Grizzlies, Spurs

February 26th, 2014 at 6:51pm CST by Cray Allred

The Southwest Division, where four out of five teams could make the playoffs, is abuzz today. The Rockets and Spurs are jostling at the top of the Western standings, and have both been linked to Danny Granger, who could be the biggest buyout prize this year. The Mavs are also rumored to be in on Granger, and they’re bumping shoulders at the bottom of playoff contention with the Grizzlies, who claimed Beno Udrih off waivers today. Here’s some more from what should remain one of the more interesting divisions this year:

Ramona Shelburne of ESPN Los Angeles seconded earlier reports that the Spurs, Rockets, and Mavs all have a shot at Granger (Twitter link).
Grizzlies coach Dave Joerger told reporters before tonight’s game, including Ronald Tillery of The Commercial Appeal, that he won’t address newly acquired Udrih until tomorrow (Twitter link).
The Grizzlies are a game and a half out of the playoffs this season after former coach Lionel Hollins took them to the Western Conference Finals last year, but CEO Jason Levien has no regrets about hiring new coach Dave Joerger. Levien made his comments in an appearance on Sports 56 WHBQ radio in Memphis, as Ronald Tillery of The Commercial Appeal notes (Twitter link). “I feel better about the decision today than I did in June or July,” Levien said. “He’s been terrific.”
The Grizzlies have assigned Jamaal Franklin D-League, the team announced. The 41st pick in the draft this past June hasn’t started in any of his three appearances with the Fort Wayne Mad Ants, an affiliate Memphis shares with five other NBA teams.
Spurs coach Gregg Popovich tells Jeff McDonald of San Antonio Express-News that the team hasn’t yet been active in the buyout market, but is ready when the opportunity arrives: “Like everyone else we’re looking at all the names. If we see there’s a body there we think can help us we’ll try to do it, but we haven’t done anything to this point.” The Spurs are reportedly one of the front-runners for Danny Granger’s services once the short-timer Sixers guard clears waivers.
Metta World Peace is one player in the buyout market the Spurs are not interested in, according to Jeff McDonald of San Antonio Express-News (Twitter link). The former Ron Artest was reportedly interested in San Antonio as a landing spot, but the interest apparently isn’t mutual.

Chuck Myron contributed to this post.

Mavs Expected To Join Granger Pursuit

February 26th, 2014 at 5:53pm CST by Cray Allred

The Mavs are expected to have conversations with Danny Granger about joining them once he clears waivers, a league source tells Adrian Wojnarowski of Yahoo! Sports. Dallas is joining a long list of teams that are reportedly interested in the former All-Star with a career average of 17.6 PPG. The Clippers, Rockets, Bulls, Heat and Spurs are also in on the Granger sweepstakes, with the Clippers and Spurs believed to be the favorites.

The Mavs would presumably have more room for Granger behind Monta Ellis at the shooting guard slot than his traditional small forward role, as Shawn Marion, Vince Carter, and Jae Crowder are all productive wings taking up minutes there. The Mavs have played well of late, climbing up into the Western Conference 7th seed slot for the playoffs at 12 games over .500. However, they are still just 2.5 games ahead of the Grizzlies, who are currently on the outside looking in for the playoffs with the 9th best record in the West. In the fiercely competitive West, no team is safe as we head into the stretch run.

Dallas sits at roughly $4.47MM under the luxury tax line, which could give them an edge against other teams near or already over the tax line, as the actual cost of adding Granger will be steeper than his salary for those teams. The Mavs are nonetheless limited to offering the minimum salary.

Sixers, Granger Nearing Buyout

February 26th, 2014 at 10:12am CST by Cray Allred

10:12am: There isn’t quite as much interest in Granger as other reports have suggested, according to Sam Amico of Fox Sports Ohio, who hears from one GM who says that he has no interest at all and that Granger is “done” (Twitter link). Still, I’d be surprised if Granger doesn’t receive multiple attractive offers once a buyout is done.

WEDNESDAY, 7:59am: The buyout should be done today, TNT’s David Aldridge hears, identifying the Clippers, Bulls, Heat, Rockets and Spurs as teams in the hunt for the 30-year-old (Twitter link).

10:55pm: It’s also being said that Granger is weighing all of his options right now, including staying with Philadelphia for the remainder of the season, according to Ramona Shelburne and Marc Stein of ESPN. However, if Granger should complete a buyout soon enough, Stein tweets that the Spurs and Clippers will be in a two-team race for his services.

TUESDAY, 4:35pm: Granger appears to be limiting his interest to realistic title contenders, rather than mere playoff teams, tweets TNT’s David Aldridge.

MONDAY, 6:30pm: Coach Brett Brown told reporters, including Dei Lynam of CSNPhilly.com (on Twitter), that the club might have an announcement regarding Granger in the next 24 hours. There’s no nameplate on Granger’s locker and he won’t be in action for tonight’s game against the Bucks.

SATURDAY, 12:06pm: League sources tell Charania that Granger would likely choose between the Heat, Clippers, Bulls, Spurs, and Mavs as a free agent should the buyout happen (Twitter link).

11:55am: In initial discussions regarding a buyout for recently acquired Danny Granger, the Sixers have been cooperative with the shooting guard, a league source tells RealGM.com’s Shams Charania (via Twitter).

Despite reports that Granger was unhappy with being traded and immediately wanted a buyout, it appears there is no animosity between him and the Sixers organization. Earlier in the day, Adrian Wojnarowski of Yahoo! Sports reported that Granger was undergoing a team physical, but adds that the physical does not mean that the former All-Star isn’t interested in a buyout (Twitter links).

Granger was traded to the Sixers from the Pacers at the trade deadline after spending the first eight-plus years of his career in Indiana. A knee injury has limited Granger’s athleticism and impact over the last two seasons, when he has been moved to the bench and averaged under 23 minutes and 10 points per game for the first time since his rookie season.

Atlantic Links: ‘Melo, Granger, Sixers

February 25th, 2014 at 10:44pm CST by Ryan Raroque

Last summer, Dwight Howard decided to leave $30MM in extra earnings on the table in order to find a situation that gave him the best chance to win – a situation that Carmelo Anthony faces in July if he decides to opt out of his contract. Based on the Rockets’ success this year, Sam Amick of USA Today says that there’s no better blueprint for Anthony to follow than Howard’s. Dwight, who says he spoken with Carmelo about that dynamic, offered some advice:

“I know he has just got to do what’s best for him…I’ve been through it. I’ve seen it. The same people that love you one day, if you don’t do what they want you to do, then they’re going to hate you. You’ve got to always remember that you’ve got to do what’s best for you at the end of the day. If people don’t like you, you can’t stop that.”

Here’s more of what we’ve gathered from the Atlantic Division tonight:

Following a recent loss to the Hawks, Anthony told reporters: “It’s definitely testing me…The frustration has definitely sunk in, just from the simple fact we’re losing games the same way over and over and we’re just not learning from that.” After last night’s crushing loss to the Mavs, he told Clifton Brown of the New York TImes, “You score 40, 44, 44, 44, all losses — you kind of ask yourself is it worth it.”
76ers head coach Brett Brown says he isn’t annoyed that Danny Granger would rather play for a contending team instead of Philadelphia, writes Tom Moore of the Bucks County Courier Times. Brown also discussed the team’s rebuilding situation: “This is a very different rebuild than the others…It is completely at the bare bones. It just puts a pretty definitive timeline and set of reality checks on all of us that we have a lot of work to do.”
Brown added that he has plenty of faith in the front office: “I trust Sam Hinkie’s judgment on the process that just happened and the process that’s coming up…I can’t wait to be a part of it, with all of our draft picks. Draft night is one of my favorite nights.”
Jimmer Fredette‘s family would be ecstatic if he could somehow find his way to the Knicks once he’s bought out by the Kings, writes Christian Red of the New York Daily News.

Odds & Ends: Griffin, Knicks, Granger, Gordon

February 22nd, 2014 at 11:50pm CST by Cray Allred

The Cavs have quietly reached out to at least one alternative candidate for their GM opening outside of interim David Griffin, reports Jason Lloyd of The Akron Beacon Journal. However, Lloyd says ownership is giving Griffin a fair shot at the job based on how he performs the rest of the season, and won’t be generating rumors that could distract him from the task at hand. Here’s more from around the league:

Knicks Coach Mike Woodson confirmed to reporters, including Newsday’s Al Iannazzone, that the Knicks have agreed with both Metta World Peace and Beno Udrih on buyouts, but wouldn’t expound on the causes for either: “I can’t say anything went wrong,” Woodson said. “They weren’t in the rotations. I’m not going to linger on it. We’re buying them out.”
In a separate piece, Iannazzone says that the Knicks offseason can’t be as quiet as their trade deadline was, since the team will be trying to upgrade their roster around Carmelo Anthony, whom they hope to re-sign over the summer. Iannazzone thinks that the expiring contracts for Amar’e Stoudemire, Tyson Chandler, and Andrea Bargnani could become movable assets along with Raymond Felton and Iman Shumpert, who have already been involved in a lot of trade speculation.
While Danny Granger‘s buyout is still a “distinct possibility,” nothing is imminent, as the initial trade between the Sixers and Pacers is not yet official, tweets Ramona Shelburne of ESPN Los Angeles.
On a related note, Shelburne tweets that Ben Gordon‘s buyout talks with the Bobcats are progressing slowly as well.
A group post at Basketball Insiders looks at players that they think should have been, but weren’t traded before Thursday’s deadline. Iman Shumpert, Rajon Rondo, and Pau Gasol, made the list.
J.J. Barea told The Star Tribune that he didn’t want any of the trade rumors surrounding him leaving the Timberwolves before the recent trade deadline to come to fruition: “You never really want to get traded. I think I’m in a good situation here, and I think we have a good group of guys with a good staff.”

Sixers Notes: Young, Draft, Granger

February 21st, 2014 at 10:27pm CST by Cray Allred

Thaddeus Young just played one of the best games of his career a day after surviving an exodus of Sixers players at the trade deadline. The Sixers, shorthanded and already the losers of nine in a row, still lost the game and further increased their lottery odds for next year’s draft. Here’s more from the franchise that seems most committed to “tanking” this year for future trade-offs:

Before the game, Young commented to reporters on the Sixers not trading him, including Tom Moore of Bucks County Courier Times (via Twitter). After a lot of speculation around his rumored dissatisfaction in Philadelphia and their willingness to move him, the 25-year-old power forward doesn’t sound necessarily upset, but still wants to play for a winner. “I was prepared to stay or go,” said Young. “I’ve always said I want to play on a winning team.” The question remains whether Philadelphia’s slew of assets can develop into anything close to a winning club by next year, when Young will be on the final year of his contract.
Sixers GM Sam Hinkie stated the obvious to reporters, including Tom Moore of Bucks County Courier News, that he will try and turn the Sixers’ $26MM cap space, two first-round picks, and five second-round picks in the upcoming draft into premium players. “I think we’ll have a whole set of interesting opportunities in June,” Hinkie said. “We are focused on what matters, on trying to build something for Philadelphia, on trying to plant seeds and to put this program in a place that we can compete when it matters. We thought (Thursday) was yet another step in that process.”
In the same piece, coach Brett Brown said “We have to be ruthless and get the right people here” in reference to the picks and cap room that took the place of Evan Turner, Spencer Hawes, and Lavoy Allen in deadline-day trades. Brown has previously said that the rebuilding process in Philadelphia has been more difficult than he anticipated.
Brown also said that he too will talk to newly acquired Danny Granger. Hinkie said earlier that he wanted to meet with Granger before granting the 30-year-old’s buyout wishes, and Brown says he’d like “to sit down with (Granger) and see what he wants.”

Danny Granger Wants Buyout, Sixers Hesitate

February 21st, 2014 at 11:46am CST by Chuck Myron

Danny Granger and his representatives are anxious to negotiate a buyout with the Sixers, but it’s not a foregone conclusion that the Sixers will agree to one, according to Marc Stein of ESPN.com (All Twitter links). Stein identifies the Heat, Spurs and Thunder among teams that would be in the mix for the 30-year-old, but it’s unclear whether those are Granger’s preferred destinations or teams with legitimate interest. The notion of keeping him around for a possible sign-and-trade this summer appeals to the Sixers, Stein notes while also pointing out that Granger would no longer have Bird rights if the buyout happens.

“We’ll meet with (Granger). … It’s going to be interesting. We’re going to sit and talk,” Sixers GM Sam Hinkie told reporters today, including Christopher A. Vito of the Delaware County Daily Times (Twitter link).

Granger was angry upon hearing about the trade, tweets Jake Fischer of Liberty Ballers. The Sixers were the ones to approach the Pacers about making the trade, Larry Bird tells Candace Buckner of the Indianapolis Star, suggesting Philadelphia indeed finds Granger a commodity of value (Twitter link).

The ninth-year veteran has never played for any NBA team other than the Pacers. The Creative Artists Agency client is making slightly more than $14MM this season, but he’s unlikely to see such a payday on his next deal. He can’t return to the Pacers at any point until February 20th of next year because of collective bargaining agreement rules.

Pacers Acquire Evan Turner

February 20th, 2014 at 9:19pm CST by Chuck Myron

The Pacers issued a press release to officially announce that they have acquired Evan Turner from the 76ers. The deal sends Danny Granger and a future second round draft pick to Philly for Turner and forward Lavoy Allen. The future second-round pick will be the Warriors’ 2015 selection, tweets Tom Moore of Calkins Media. NBA: Cleveland Cavaliers at Philadelphia 76ers

Philadelphia and Indiana teamed up to complete the most significant deadline trade of them all. Indiana spent most of the season merely open to dealing Granger without actively seeking deals, but that appeared to change last week. Still, the Pacers were looking to be “blown away” by an offer and hadn’t found a suitable exchange as of this morning. That clearly changed when Turner entered the mix, and the former No. 2 overall pick figures to give Indiana a significant leg up in the race for the NBA title.

Turner has played his most significant role to date in the final season of his rookie scale contract, averaging a career-high 17.4 points and 6.0 rebounds in 34.9 minutes per game. He figures to get a raise this summer on his $6.68MM salary, but perhaps not a hefty one, as Philadelphia wasn’t planning to tender a qualifying offer worth more than $8.7MM that would have allowed the Sixers to match offers this summer. That helped push Turner into trade discussions. Indiana will now have the ability to decide on that qualifying offer this summer, when it faces a tight squeeze underneath the luxury tax to retain unrestricted free agent Lance Stephenson.

The Sixers were holding out for a 2014 first-round pick for Turner, as well as Spencer Hawes and Thaddeus Young, but didn’t find any such offers. They agreed to send Hawes to the Cavs for Earl Clark and Henry Sims, but hung on to Young. Still, Granger is a decent consolation prize, and Philadelphia, flush with cap room, can take on his bloated expiring contract, worth slightly more than $14MM.

Granger led the Pacers in scoring for five straight seasons from 2007/08 through 2011/12, but injury cost him all but five games last year, and he’s been unable to return to form this season in a reserve role. Still, he’s just 30 years old, and with plenty of shots to go around in Philadelphia, he has an opportunity to strengthen his market value for this summer.

Turner was a hot commodity in trade talks, with the Pistons, Suns, Clippers, Hawks, Bobcats, Mavs, Timberwolves and Spurs all linked to him at one point or another. Teams were nonetheless wary of giving up other players or picks for Turner, figuring they could sign him as an unrestricted free agent this summer if Philly passed on his qualifying offer. Depending on how it shakes out with the Pacers, those clubs might not have a chance at him in the offseason.

Allen makes $3.06MM in the final season of a two-year contract he signed with the Sixers after a surprisingly productive rookie season. He’s averaged 5.2 points in 18.8 minutes per game this year, but he doesn’t figure to have much of a role on the Pacers. He, like Turner, would become a restricted free agent in the summer if Indiana makes him a qualifying offer, but that seems unlikely, since that offer would be for $3.825MM.

I profiled Turner and Granger as trade candidates earlier this season.

Zach Links contributed to this post. Photo courtesy of USA Today Sports Images. Adrian Wojnarowski of Yahoo! Sports (Twitter links) first reported the trade. Grantland’s Zach Lowe (Twitter link) and Jason Wolf of The News Journal (Twitter link) added details.