Danny Granger picks Clippers

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RAMONA SHELBURNE via <a href="http://espn.go.com/" title="ESPN" class="espn_sc_byline">ESPN </a>
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February 28, 2014, 1:33 AM ET
3 min read

— -- Former All-Star forward Danny Granger has decided to sign with the Los Angeles Clippers, his agent said Friday.

The San Antonio Spurs, Houston Rockets, Miami Heat and Dallas Mavericks all made a run at Granger, but ultimately he chose the Clippers because they offered him the best opportunity to play meaningful minutes for a contender.

Granger, 30, cleared waivers at 5 p.m. ET Friday, his agent Aaron Mintz said, and hopes to make his Clippers debut Saturday against New Orleans. He already was in Los Angeles on Thursday and worked out at a local gym, according to a source.

He was officially waived Wednesday after completing a contract buyout with the Philadelphia 76ers. The Sixers had acquired him from the Indiana Pacers just before the trade deadline for Evan Turner and Lavoy Allen.

By signing with the Clippers, he will become the second veteran player coach and senior vice president of player personnel Doc Rivers has recruited to the team in a week. Last week Rivers outrecruited several other teams to sign forward Glen Davis , after he was bought out by the Orlando Magic . Davis played for Rivers in Boston, where they won the 2008 NBA championship and lost in the 2010 Finals.

The Clippers traded Byron Mullens and Antawn Jamison last week to create roster spots to pursue players such as Granger and Davis, who were likely to be bought out. They also backed out of late trade discussions with the New York Knicks for injured swingman Iman Shumpert and guard Raymond Felton. Both decisions look prescient a week later.

Granger played in 29 games with the Pacers this season as he made his way back from knee and calf injuries. He averaged 8.3 points in 22 minutes a game, but his career average is 17.6 points a game. He was in the final year of a contract that paid him $14 million this year and will be a free agent after the season.

Granger keeps an offseason home in Los Angeles and has been known to train at the Clippers' practice facility in the summer.

ESPN reported Wednesday that the Clippers had nudged ahead of the Spurs as the favorites to land Granger and that they had stepped up their pursuit at least partly because of growing concern within the organization about the status of guard J.J. Redick, who has missed the past nine games and is out indefinitely with a back injury.