Sources: Danny Granger, Josh McRoberts agree to deals with Heat with belief LeBron James is returning
Free-agent forwards Danny Granger and Josh McRoberts committed to contracts with the Miami Heat with the strong belief they will be playing alongside LeBron James, league sources told Yahoo Sports.
Though no guarantees were made, Granger and McRoberts accepted offers from the Heat believing James will be returning to Miami, sources said.
Granger reached agreement on a two-year, $4.2 million contract with the Heat, league sources told Yahoo Sports on Monday. He will take the Heat's biannual exception of $2.1 million and hold a player option on the second year of the contract.
Granger was willing to take significantly less than his market value for the chance to play with James in Miami. Heat president Pat Riley secured Granger and free-agent forward Josh McRoberts on Monday. Riley is expected to meet with James soon to discuss his future with the franchise.
Granger comes with a strong reputation as a high-character player in the locker room and a versatile scorer who the Heat hope can play a part in upgrading the roster and convincing James to stay the course with a new deal.
Granger, 31, played eight-plus seasons with the Indiana Pacers, where he was an Eastern Conference All-Star in 2009 before a trade to the Philadelphia 76ers in late February. After a contract buyout with the Sixers, Granger signed for the remainder of the season with the Los Angeles Clippers, where he averaged eight points and three rebounds while fighting a left hamstring injury.
For his career, Granger has averaged 17.4 points and five rebounds a game. In the 2008-09 season, Granger averaged 25 points for Indiana.
