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The Spurs are interested in Danny Granger, reports Marc Stein of Yahoo Sports
Whispers persist that San Antonio has interest in Danny Granger ... IF Granger goes ahead with extricating himself from Philly via buyout
— Marc Stein (@ESPNSteinLine) febrero 25, 2014
Granger is still negotiating a buyout with the Philadelphia 76ers, so nothing seems imminent.
Danny Granger and Philly continue to discuss a buyout, but source says resolution might not come today
— Ramona Shelburne (@ramonashelburne) febrero 25, 2014
But it makes sense for the Spurs to try to get bigger at the wing with their last roster spot. Jake Fisher reports that the interest is mutual, citing the Spurs as the front runners to get the former Pacers' services.
Anticipating a buyout from the Sixers, Danny Granger's camp views San Antonio as the small forward's top choice to sign with, per source.
— Jake Fischer (@JakeLFischer) febrero 25, 2014
What could derail the potential signing is Granger's alleged interest in significant playing time.
We repeat: Granger would obviously rather be w/contender like Spurs than tanking Philly BUT also needs to make sure he'll get PT w/new team
— Marc Stein (@ESPNSteinLine) febrero 25, 2014
It's hard to imagine the Spurs guaranteeing anyone minutes, especially at the wing. Marco Belinelli, Kawhi Leonard, Danny Green and Manu Ginobili have all been better than Granger this season, know the system and take up most of the playing time at the two and the three. Even if Pop reduces the minutes of those four, it's hard to imagine him carving up anything close to the 22.5 minutes a game Granger got with Indiana this season.
There are two scenarios in which Granger gets ample minutes without an injury. The first involves him taking Danny Green's playing time. Leonard and Ginobili are the Spurs' two most important wings. Belinelli seems to have earned his spot in the rotation thanks to his ability to play off the bench or with the starters.
That leaves the inconsistent Green as the only wing that Granger could realistically unseat. The two are comparable rebounders and while Green is the better on-ball defender, a healthy Granger could have the upper hand when it comes to offensive versatility. But Granger would have to play much better than he has so far this season to accomplish that.
The other scenario involves the Spurs going small -- often -- with Leonard and Granger at the two forward spots. That would mean Granger takes the minutes going to Jeff Ayres and Matt Bonner. The Spurs haven't played small much this season, but with the playoffs on the horizon they could start to experiment with the type of unit some teams will try to force them to use. Granger could prove a good option for the Spurs in those situations, as he could likely take advantage of his size against a smaller player on offense.
Of course, It's possible Granger finds himself in a buyers' market when it comes to veteran wings, as Metta World Peace is available and now Caron Butler could be as well. There are also no contenders that can guarantee playing time, so it's possible he has to settle for whoever shows the most interest and offers the best chance of earning a rotation spot. The Spurs might very well be that team.
Will keep you updated as more develops.