The Miami Heat are in obvious transition mode without LeBron James. However, Pat Riley was able to keep Miami respectable on paper.
Miami drafted Shabazz Napier, signed Luol Deng, Josh McRoberts and Danny Granger. Chris Bosh decided to stay in South Beach, after speculation that he would bolt for Houston to team up with James Harden and Dwight Howard.
Danny Granger, 31, hasn’t played in 60 or more games since the 2011-2012 campaign. Granger has dealt with a plethora of injuries over the past two years.
With LeBron out the picture, Granger will have an opportunity to resurrect his career. He isn’t taking this chance for granted.
“It’s two-fold,” he said. “Yeah, I think everybody would like a chance to play with LeBron. But in the same aspect, a guy like me, who’s trying to reestablish myself, him leaving isn’t a terrible thing for me. It gives me an opportunity to play more, affords to do more of what I used to do. My initial reaction was to come to play with him, but once he left, it still was a good situation for me.
“I reassessed a little bit, myself and my agent. But at the point where I was at, it was more about me reestablishing, rather than the money or something like that. I’ve made a bunch of money. I just want to reestablish myself as the player that I was previously.”
You got to love the honesty from Granger. While playing with LeBron would be great, Granger is at the point of his career where he’s trying to prove himself all over again. Since they both play the same position, it was best for LeBron to leave for Granger’s sake.