Jeff Rabjohns reports that Danny Granger is interested in a contract extension that will make him a Pacers for a few more years.
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.
As I've said before, Danny has become the face of the franchise for the Pacers so the fact that he wants to stick around for an extra four or five years is a good indication that he's comfortable with the direction the team is headed.
I must say, though, after unloading Jermaine O'Neal's max deal I was enjoying the breathing room created for the Pacers' future of the salary cap. Maybe it's just too soon, but considering another long term contract is something less than exciting right now.
Assuming Danny continues his development, he'll certainly be a $10-12 million/yr player. I'd love to see him locked up for 4 years at $40 million although I'm sure his agent will be looking for a sweeter deal. Just seems that by extending Danny now the Pacers are assuming a little risk that Danny's development arc will continue to rise. I guess I'm just a little sour after the recent history of the Pacers' long term deals (J.O., Tinsley, Bender).
I just need to quit thinking about the numbers and enjoy the thought of Danny Granger wearing the blue and gold into the prime of his career. Yeah! That's better.