When veteran players Danny Granger and Glen Davis were waived last season, the Clippers were there to snap them up as minimum salary free agents to help upgrade their bench. It paid off, Granger averaged 8 points a game in the regular season (although he faded in the playoffs) and “Big Baby” instantly became the first big off the bench for the Clippers and a guy Doc Rivers leaned on in the playoffs.
Both might be back with the Clippers next season, but not at their current price.
It appears both are opting out of their deals, as has been expected, reports Brad Turner of the Los Angeles Times.
Clippers forward Danny Granger doesn’t plan on opting in on his 2014-15 contract that would pay him $1.36 million, says NBA officials.
— Brad Turner (@BA_Turner) June 20, 2014
But Granger does have interest in returning to the Clippers next season. He likes direction team is headed.
— Brad Turner (@BA_Turner) June 20, 2014
Clippers forward Glen “Big Baby” Davis will opt of of his contract that would have paid him $1.4 million next season, said NBA officials.
— Brad Turner (@BA_Turner) June 20, 2014
Both have battled health issues and that will keep the contracts they can draw on the open market down, particularly the years. That said Davis will make more than the $1.2 million minimum deal he was to get if he opted in. Not a whole lot more, but more. The question is will he get that from Doc Rivers and the Clippers or do they think they can find a better upgrade (they need front line depth to let Blake Griffin and DeAndre Jordan rest).
Granger is a nice fit off the Clippers’ bench, but again how much and how many years do you give a guy coming off multiple knee surgeries? For a stretch he started to get his legs under him but he is a limited role player now, he’s not the All-Star Danny Granger.
These two join Darren Collison on the list of Clippers opting out to become free agents.
These are the kinds of players likely to last a little while in free agency, into the second half of July or early August, as other teams wait for bigger dominoes to fall.
