The Indiana Pacers are the best team in the NBA and only on that squad could the return of a former All-Star create issues, but with Danny Granger looking to finally come back from an injury on Friday, rumors are starting to percolate about the possibility of a trade and some teams that fit include the Los Angeles Lakers, Dallas Mavericks, Minnesota Timberwolves and Chicago Bulls.
Granger is coming back after dealing with chronic knee issues and he has been out for this entire season so far after playing in just five games last year and according to ESPN.com, he is expecting to play on Friday night when the team takes on the Charlotte Bobcats. Granger was out for the first 21 games and with him missing from the lineup last season, the Pacers made it to the eastern conference finals against the Miami Heat. The team defeated the Heat this week and while one may argue that the team could have beaten them last season with Granger, just as many may argue that his absence helped, as Lance Stephenson was thrust into a new role and he flourished, which has only made the trade rumors grow.
Granger seems like the most obvious trade bait player in the NBA this season at 30-years-old and the Pacers could make a move involving him depending on how the season continues to play out and if he remains healthy. Stephenson has made him a bit expendable and if the Pacers found the right deal, they could pull the trigger. The team acquired Luis Scola this offseason and also signed back David West and with Paul George and Roy Hibbert, the team may be the most talented in the NBA and while Granger is a former All-Star, it remains to be seen if he can get back to that level. Granger has a career average of nearly 20 points per game and that could make him attractive to teams that need a scorer and the Bulls could be an interesting option since Derrick Rose is injured for the season.
Two years ago Granger averaged 20.5 points per game and he hits from three at a nearly 40 percent clip for his career, so teams could be getting a consistent shooter as well if they deal for him. The Knicks of course are terrible right now and could shake things up with a move, but right now that won't happen with the way the team is playing and now the Pacers must see what they have in Granger and how much he will be able to contribute this season.
Granger will be coming off the bench to start when he comes back, but it's interesting to see whether he will get back into the starting lineup and with him making $14 million in the final year of his career, that is a ton of money to leave on the bench and the expiration may make him even more attractive to another team. Granger has been close to coming back at various times, but his knee issues have lingered and now the Pacers are bringing him back as they have the best record in the NBA.
