Miami Heat Small Forward Preview: Bouncing Back, it’s Danny Granger

Analyzing Last Year’s Performance

After a successful stint but one that was riddled with injuries his last few years,  Danny Granger was traded by the Indiana Pacers to the Philadelphia 76ers in a deal that centered around Evan Turner. The 76ers immediately waived Granger, who was picked up the the Los Angeles Clippers.

An All-Star in 2009, Granger has been dealing with injuries the last two years but quietly had success in L.A. In 12 games, he averaged eight points, 2.3 rebounds and 0.7 assists per 16.2 minutes per game. Adjusted for 36 minutes, he averaged 17.8 points, 5.2 rebounds and 1.5 assists per game.

Looking at his efficiency chart, courtesy of NylonCalculus.com, Granger thrived from the corner and near the basket.

(Via NylonCalculus.com)

Granger showed more movement last season and should be ready to bounce back this season, even if it’s not at an All-Star level, but at least as a key contributor.

How LeBron’s Departure Impacts His Role

Granger signed with the Miami Heat thinking LeBron James would be there, too. It turns out LeBron won’t be, so Granger will go from someone playing a Mike Miller/Shane Battier role to having to shoulder a bit more of the scoring load.

Mentally, this shouldn’t be tough for Granger. He was Indiana’s leading scorer for years. Physically, it seemed he was coming along. He’ll play mostly as swingman, but should also get some time at the 4 in small-ball lineups.

LeBron’s gravity in the paint and precise passing made for a lot of wide-open looks for surrounding shooters. Granger was probably expecting this, but now he will have to create some of his own shots and be part of a team that will have to move the ball a lot better than last season.

Projections for this Season

Granger will be part of the first unit that comes off the bench, joining Chris Andersen and Norris Cole. He will have an opportunity to score and will get significant playing time. If he stays healthy, Granger has the potential for the most upside of any of Miami’s offseason acquisitions.

Spelling Dwyane Wade and Luol Deng, Granger should see around 18-20 minutes per game and average eight-to-10 points per game.

“Why I’m Excited” – David Ramil

Man, this is a tough one. Granger has a chance to fill a role with fans previously held by Ray Allen; a former Heat villain that can make us forget how much we hated him. It’s unlikely that he can have a 2013-Game 6 moment like Ray but if Granger can be a solid contributor, and spell Wade when he invariably misses a game, he’ll get some love from the fans. Miami struck out on reclamation projects Greg Oden and Michael Beasley last year – let’s hope Granger reverses that trend.

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