Danny Granger Considered Re-Signing with Pacers

The Indiana Pacers made quite a few moves in free agency this past offseason, but they still aren’t looking like a team that will make a serious run in the Eastern Conference. Both Lance Stephenson (free agency) and Paul George (injury) are gone this year, and they have quite a few question marks surrounding the team. One of the main players throughout recent Pacers’ history, Danny Granger, might have been able to make a major impact for this coming years Pacers’ team.

While the Pacers did trade him away to the Philadelphia 76ers last year for Evan Turner at the trade deadline, Granger seriously considered re-signing with Indiana this offseason. His heart is obviously still with the Pacers, and Indiana might be kicking themselves for not making an aggressive enough offer to beat out the Miami Heat for his services. It’s certainly intriguing to think about what Granger could have done for the Pacers this season if he truly is healthy.

Granger simply didn’t look healthy and confident last year in his stint with the Pacers, but did show some flashes late in the year with the Los Angeles Clippers. He ended up playing in 41 games split between the Pacers and Clippers last year, averaging 8.2 points and took major steps forward after joining the Clippers in terms of field goal percentage. With the Clippers, he shot 42.9 percent from the field and 35.3 percent from behind the three-point arc.

It’s going to be very interesting to see what the Pacers’ new additions do this season and what Granger does with the Heat. The Pacers could have used Granger’s scoring if he is back to being his old self, but that is far from being a sure thing. Indiana fans would have welcomed Granger back with open arms, but Larry Bird and the front office simply didn’t feel that he was the best option available about the time.

Needless to say, this is going to be bittersweet news for the Pacers’ fan base. Granger will forever have a place in Indiana if he wants to come back and retire as a Pacer, but hopefully he will play another game in the blue and gold before he calls it a career. Always nice to hear that former players still considering coming back to the franchise even after they felt wronged by a trade the year before.