Granger Extension - Star reports Danny's Interest

[xxSnEaKyPxx]

Now that FA has started do you think we will sign Danny Granger to an extension? I would imagine it will happen, or at least that the Pacers will try, but I haven't heard Larry Bird talk about it yet in any of his interviews. Usually there is some indication with something like this. What do ya'll think? Keep in mind Deng, Gordon, and Okafor all turned down big extensions last year, hopefully Granger stays with us long term.

[mizzoupacers]

I'm sure that the Pacers will make every effort to extend Granger, but I doubt it happens this summer. The extension can't take effect until the 2009-2010 season. Sometime this upcoming season or else early next summer Granger will get his extension. If not, then we can make plans to get together and storm Conseco.

[count55]

In order to sign an extension, it will have to be agreed to by October 31st of this year. Otherwise, Danny will be a Free Agent next summer.

If Danny becomes a free agent, the Pacers can make him a restricted free agent by tendering a one-year qualifying offer of about $3.3mm. In that case, Danny can continue to negotiate with the Pacers and other teams, but the Pacers would retain the right to match any offer made to Danny by another team. The risk there is that Danny elects to take the one-year offer, play it out, then become an unrestricted free agent the following summer, with all of its inherent risks and rewards to both the player and the team.

The other qualifying offer the Pacers could (but likely wouldn't) is to offer a Danny a maximum qualifying offer, which would be a 6-year fully-guaranteed contract at the maximum salary with the maximum 10.5% raises. This would be 6yrs, $105mm or so in Danny's case. This would ensure that Danny would be a Pacer, but is probably well over the market price.

I would agree that it would be best for the Pacers to lock Danny up before he hits the market. The max extension Danny could sign would be 5-years, $84mm. I think that is too salty for Danny. Deng and Gordon supposedly turned down 5yr, $50mm extensions, and I'm sure Danny and his agent will be valuing Danny at least on a par with those guys.

I would've hoped to get Danny for a 5-yr, $40mm extension, but that was before his performance this year. Now, we're going to need to go 5yr, somewhere between $55 and $60mm. I would put my personal ceiling at $60mm, offer $50mm, then accept any counter under the $60mm. I'd say that I'd have a 2 in 3 chance of getting him to sign.

My fear, as in another thread, is that another 20-7 season will result in some team flirting with a max offer. Rashard Lewis just signed a 6-year, $112mm deal, so there's cause to be a little skittish.

[JD45]

The Blazers have indicated they really like Granger.

And they will have max cap room next year if Granger makes it to restricted free agency. They also have an essentially unlimited budget with Paul Allen as owner.

[jarrettjackfan]

I hope they get a deal with Granger done soon.

[FreeRon]

If the Blazers want to give Granger max money they're welcome to. I would absolutely hate to lose him because it would set us back a few years, but it would set the Blazers back more to offer a max contract, especially because in 2010 the free agent class will be a lot better and while they probably won't get LeBron or Bosh, I would think that they could land 2 players with production close to Danny's that year for about what they'd be paying Danny if they gave him the max contract. I think the real winners that year will be the teams that go after the good players while other teams are going after the great ones so when the big 3 have signed all of the other teams will have tons of cap space and mediocre free agents. I think we'll see some really overpaid players at that point.

[n_s_s31]

If the Blazers want to give Granger max money they're welcome to. I would absolutely hate to lose him because it would set us back a few years, but it would set the Blazers back more to offer a max contract, especially because in 2010 the free agent class will be a lot better and while they probably won't get LeBron or Bosh, I would think that they could land 2 players with production close to Danny's that year for about what they'd be paying Danny if they gave him the max contract. I think the real winners that year will be the teams that go after the good players while other teams are going after the great ones so when the big 3 have signed all of the other teams will have tons of cap space and mediocre free agents. I think we'll see some really overpaid players at that point.

By the time granger actually becomes a free agent he could easily be worth a Max contract. If he continues to improve his production at the rate that he has his first 3 years then he will be scoring between 22-25 points per game (after the all star break he averaged 23 a game) and grabbing 7-8 rebounds per game. Plus a steal and a block everygame. So he could very well be worth a max contract by the time he signs a new deal. Thats why i think it is important for the pacers to get this done ASAP. If a max extension is 5 years 84 million then i think i would give up to 5 years 70 million. Hopefully it doesnt go that high but if it meant i could have him for another 5 years i think it would be worth it

[PR07]

There's no way Blazers can afford Granger and expect to keep Roy, Oden, Aldridge, Fernandez, Bayless, etc.

Bottomline, if Granger wants to be a Pacer, he will be. Pacers can offer more money then anyone else.

[JD45]

There's no way Blazers can afford Granger and expect to keep Roy, Oden, Aldridge, Fernandez, Bayless, etc.

Paul Allen spends $160 mil a year maintaining his yachts. I think he can definitely afford to pay all those players.

[cdash]

I think Granger signs an extension this summer to be honest.

[PR07]

Well, he can afford it, but as an NBA franchise, the Blazers simply can't (even if they were willing to pay all that luxury tax, it would be stupid to). What team has had 5 max contract players and won anything? I'm waiting...

The Blazers might like Granger, but I'm sure every other NBA franchise does too. Like I said, Pacers can offer him more money then anyone else. If he wants to be a Pacer, he will be, and I don't see why he wouldn't the way things are starting to look up.

[FreeRon]

Unless Granger has a crazy leap in ability I don't think he's going to be worth max money. That certainly doesn't mean he won't get it, but I would think the free agent list would have to be pretty weak and someone would have to be really desperate for a SF. I don't care if Paul Allen has a cheat code for unlimited money, the NBA will never allow a team to be spending that much more than other teams are. Otherwise we get the Yankees of the NBA and just like baseball nobody cares anymore because everyone is not playing on an equal level.

[FreeRon]

On top of that, assume each player makes 10 million in the first year of their contract....and that they all signed in the same year. That's 50 million the first year locked up in your starters...which is reasonable but then you can't have anyone worth beans coming off the bench. On top of that, they'd all be making upwards of 20 million by the time their contracts are over...meaning 100 million plus locked up in starters. The tax cap is under 70 million, but assume it's 70 million at that point. You'd pay 130 million dollars for your starters, and twice whatever your bench players are making. If even one of those guys flops you've got a horrible contract and you may never get under the luxury tax again.

[IndieRuso420]

If the Pacers are smart, they offer Granger a 5 year 65 MIL deal in the next few weeks. Put a player option after year four for him if he wants to opt out. Essentially the same deal Baron just got.

[PR07]

Pacers' Granger wants long-term deal

Danny Granger’s long-range future with the Indiana Pacers could be settled later this summer.
The 6-9 swingman, who was the Pacers’ leading scorer last year in his third year in the NBA, is eligible for a long-term extension. His agent, Mark Bartelstein, said he’ll likely begin talks with the Pacers in a few weeks.


“These things are never easy, but they want to keep Danny and Danny wants to stay,” Bartelstein said today.

Granger averaged 19.6 points and 6.1 rebounds last season. He had seven 30-point games, four in the final 14 games. The 17th pick in the 2005 draft has become an above average shooter, hitting 40.4 percent from 3-point range last season.

“He’s a great kid. His family has done a great job raising him,” Bartelstein said. “He’s excited about being a part of the community, and he’s excited about being a part of the rebuilding of the Pacers.”

Granger is scheduled to make $2.3 million next season, after which he becomes a restricted free agent. The Pacers must at least make a qualifying offer of $3.3 million for 2009-10 to retain the right to match any free agent offer he receives.

Also, Pacers center and David Harrison and guard Andre Owens are free agents.
Harrison, a 7-foot center from Colorado who completed his fourth year in NBA, became expendable after the Pacers acquired veteran Rasho Nesterovic and Georgetown’s Roy Hibbert to complement Jeff Foster.

Pacers president Larry Bird declined through a spokesman to comment on personnel moves or Granger’s contract status.

Hopefully, it's no more than 12 million annually. I think the Pacers are better off getting this deal done sooner rather than later though.

[cdash]

If the Pacers are smart, they offer Granger a 5 year 65 MIL deal in the next few weeks. Put a player option after year four for him if he wants to opt out. Essentially the same deal Baron just got.

I could live with that. One thing I'm glad we dont have to worry about with Granger is him becoming lazy and complacent once he is locked into that long-term deal. It happens to a lot of players, but I think Granger is too hard of a worker to fall into that trap.

[Scoot McGroot]

If the Pacers are smart, they offer Granger a 5 year 65 MIL deal in the next few weeks. Put a player option after year four for him if he wants to opt out. Essentially the same deal Baron just got.

I could live with that. One thing I'm glad we dont have to worry about with Granger is him becoming lazy and complacent once he is locked into that long-term deal. It happens to a lot of players, but I think Granger is too hard of a worker to fall into that trap.

Agreed. I think that's why I'd be more than willing to overpay a bit for Granger because I feel like he's the type that would go out there to try and earn it even more, rather than just get complacent and live with the money.

I have fears that Shawne Williams is the opposite, and may become the complacent player when he gets his extension.

[count55]

Some Good News on this front came the form of this Indy Star article this morning.

Danny Granger's long-range future with the Indiana Pacers could be settled later this summer.

The 6-9 swingman, who was the Pacers' leading scorer last season in his third year in the NBA, is eligible for a long-term extension. His agent, Mark Bartelstein, said he'll likely begin talks with the Pacers in a few weeks.


"These things are never easy, but they want to keep Danny and Danny wants to stay," Bartelstein said Tuesday.

Granger averaged 19.6 points and 6.1 rebounds last season. He had seven 30-point games, four in the final 14 games. The 17th pick in the 2005 draft has become an above average shooter, hitting 40.4 percent from 3-point range last season.

"He's a great kid. His family has done a great job raising him," Bartelstein said. "He's excited about being a part of the community, and he's excited about being a part of the rebuilding of the Pacers."

Well, Danny's side is saying all the right things. Let's get it done.

I'm still thinking a ceiling of 5/60. I'd like the contract to be flat. I want to avoid that big hockey stick at the end.

[joew8302]

I think if we could get Granger for 12 million per year for five years it would be a steal. The guy has improved quite a bit every year, he is a great perimiter defender, he is a very good shooter, he is a 20/6 guy, he is a leader on the team and in the community and has never had injury problems. I think he is definetly a piece to build around.

[Scoot McGroot]

I think if we could get Granger for 12 million per year for five years it would be a steal. The guy has improved quite a bit every year, he is a great perimiter defender, he is a very good shooter, he is a 20/6 guy, he is a leader on the team and in the community and has never had injury problems. I think he is definetly a piece to build around.

Agreed.

I might be in the minority here though in that I'd be willing to overpay Granger because of everything else he does. He'll always be a positive aspect in the community and is always going to work his butt off to earn a big contract.