If Danny Granger had told a team he was interested in returning as recently as three years ago, that team would have dropped everything to get pen to paper.
Fast-forward three partial seasons, 76 games played and a ton of red ink on the medical ledger, and that's no longer the case. Still, it sounds as if Granger and the Phoenix Suns are fond enough of each other that the former All-Star could be back in the desert for 2015-16.
Is it still called a return if Granger never actually played for the Suns? Acquired in the Goran Dragic deadline deal, Granger took his time reporting to Phoenix, after which he rehabilitated with the team's highly respected training staff, one credited with extending the useful life of Steve Nash, Grant Hill, Amar'e Stoudemire and Shaquille O'Neal, among others.
It's that quality of staff that has Granger feeling healthy and optimistic:
I've only been here a month but I have felt a difference. I've been improving. I'll use the rest of the summer to keep improving. I think the guys have done a great job with correcting a lot of imbalances that I've had and I've played with for the last 10 or 11 years.
In his time working out with the staff, Granger mentored T.J. Warren and provided a dose of leadership on a team that needed it, and will continue to need it moving forward.
"Obviously, that's something we need," president of basketball operations Lon Babby said. "If he is capable of playing and providing that, that'd be a plus."
The decision is really on Granger, and the team's medical staff could have a large impact on his choice. The 32-year-old (happy birthday!) owns a $2.7-million player option for next season, an amount that probably represents a higher salary than he'd command as a free agent, though a better chance at title contention could be a reason to opt out.
"The blueprint is really good," Granger said of the Suns' core. "I saw a lot of positive things, honestly. The talent here is overwhelming."
What Granger can provide on the court remains to be seen, as he's struggled over the past three seasons, averaging 7.3 points and 2.9 rebounds in 20.2 minutes while shooting 37.9 percent. If he can find some of his early-career jump and, particularly, his previous quickness, the defense, leadership and 3-point shot should be enough that he's a net positive for a young Phoenix team.
