Pacers F Granger signs 5-year extension in $60M range

[DC4]

With just a few hours to go Friday night before the league's deadline to reach terms on a contract extension, Danny Granger signed a deal with the Indiana Pacers.

Danny Granger
Granger

Small Forward
Indiana Pacers


Granger's agent, Mark Bartelstein, told ESPN.com that the 25-year-old forward -- widely considered Indiana's cornerstone player after the draft-day deal that sent Jermaine O'Neal to Toronto -- has signed a five-year extension believed to be worth a guaranteed $60 million.

The new contract kicks in next season, with incentives that could push the total closer to $65 million.

Granger scored 33 points Wednesday night at Detroit in Indiana's season-opening loss to the Pistons after averaging 19.6 points and 6.1 rebounds last season.

The 6-foot-8 forward joins Andrew Bynum of the Los Angeles Lakers, Detroit's Jason Maxiell and Portland's Martell Webster as members of the 2005 draft class to receive contract extensions this month.

New Orleans' Chris Paul and Utah's Deron Williams received maximum contract extensions during the summer.

Milwaukee center Andrew Bogut scored a five-year deal worth a guaranteed $60 million.

If there are no further deals before Friday's midnight deadline, New York's David Lee would rank as the most high-profile member of the class of 2005 not to receive an extension.

Denver's Linas Kleiza appeared close to an extension all week, but his agent, Bill Duffy, told the online edition of the Rocky Mountain News that talks have been abandoned.

"[Nuggets owner Stan] Kroenke decided [Friday morning] he wanted to keep some flexibility open and we don't disagree with that," Duffy told the newspaper. "We think that [Kleiza] has some options."

The sides were discussing a four-year deal in the $25 million range, but Kleiza will now become a restricted free agent July 1.

 

[Mexi]

<3
one of the seriously underrated players in the L.
good decision by Indy locking him up

 

[.GR]

one of the seriously underrated players in the L.
good decision by Indy locking him up

+1