Finley Meeting With Wolves Friday

[Kori Ellis]

http://www.twincities.com/mld/twincities/sports/columnists/charley_walters/12467473.htm

Glen Taylor, Kevin Garnett, Dwane Casey, Kevin McHale and Jim Stack, left, will fly to Chicago in Taylor's private jet Friday to meet with free-agent guard Michael Finley. Garnett has been lobbying Finley to sign with the Wolves. Finley also is meeting this week with the Miami Heat, Phoenix Suns, San Antonio Spurs and Denver Nuggets. The Wolves don't know what their chances are of signing the former Wisconsin star, but they're giving it their best shot.

[SenorSpur]

This is officially reached the level of "ridiculous" courting. Sure, Fin still has some skills (albeit limited), but it's not as though this guy is Kobe Bryant. I can't wait for this circus to end.

[Streakyshooter08]

I don't think the wolves/nuggets have a shot. Imo it comes down to Phx, Sa or Miami. I hope he will make a decision soon...

[King]

It's not ridiculous, nor a circus. He's the most coveted free agent, and would be a damn good option to many teams. They're trying to sign the guy, so they're sending people to woo him. It's exactly how free agency works with anyone a teams wants. Pop was in Slovenia at midnight to meet Rasho.

He's not as bad as a lot of people think. He's still very capable of scoring 17-20 a game. Not necessarily on the Spurs, but would be great in Minnesota.

[ChumpDumper]

Anytime you can get a guy like this for half his true value or less, you have to try.

[MannyIsGod]

Dude, Finley is a great player. Anyone who doesn't realize that simply doesn't know basketball.

[ducks]

hoping wolves cancel trip after spurs have talked to him today

[1Billups1]

I agree, Finley is still a solid player and probably the best free agent out there.

[FromWayDowntown]

Dude, Finley is a great player. Anyone who doesn't realize that simply doesn't know basketball.

I think Finley was a great player.

I think Finley is a good player who could play a key role for a title contender. He is the best free agent available now -- had he been waived at the beginning of the off-season, I don't think he would have been the most coveted free agent on the market. His value -- the reason he is so coveted -- is that he'll provide good skills at a cheap price.

But at this point, his game is too one-dimensional to consider him great, and since the teams vying for his services aren't offering anything more than roles off-the-bench, it's pretty difficult for me to think that anyone truly believes Finley is still a great player.

[Kori Ellis]

Anytime you can get a guy like this for half his true value or less, you have to try.

That's what it comes down to. If Finley was willing to meet with the Wolves, they'd be fools not to give it a shot. I'm not a big Finley fan, but if you can get a talented player for cheap, you have to try. I wonder if he'll meet with the Nuggets.

[beirmeistr]

It is impressive that Finley can attract Kobe-like attention. I too hope that this circus ends soon so that the Spurs can finish filling out their roster. I respect Finley's talent, diminished as it might be, but quite frankly, I would rather take Big Dog. They are both mostly jump shooters but I like the fact that the Big Dog is more aggressive on the court.

[ChumpDumper]

I wonder if he'll meet with the Nuggets. Apparently not.

http://www.rockymountainnews.com/drmn/sports_columnists/article/0,1299,DRMN_83_4028470,00.html

[Streakyshooter08]

I think its not only about Finley. You have to see at what PRICE you get him. If you have the possibility to sign a player who is able to score 15-20 a night for the mle or even less you have to try. That is also a factor why he gets so much attention...and you keep him away from other contenders if you sign him...

[SequSpur]

Finley is going to sign with the Heat or the Spurs.

There are no other options.

This whole charade is a waste of damn time.

I'd call this mofo up right now and say are you in or out.

Resign Brown, resign G Robinson, call up Nicky V and head to the bahamas.

Finley is not that good. He "was" good once, but I was good as I once was too.

[ducks]

you are good at being short not ball!

[SenorSpur]

I think Finley was a great player.

I think Finley is a good player who could play a key role for a title contender. He is the best free agent available now -- had he been waived at the beginning of the off-season, I don't think he would have been the most coveted free agent on the market. His value -- the reason he is so coveted -- is that he'll provide good skills at a cheap price.

But at this point, his game is too one-dimensional to consider him great, and since the teams vying for his services aren't offering anything more than roles off-the-bench, it's pretty difficult for me to think that anyone truly believes Finley is still a great player.

Thank you "D-Town" for "crystallizing" the very points I've been making all summer.

If Finley's skills were still commensurate with the contract he was awarded in 2001, do any of you really think Cuban would have let him go in the first place? That, however, does not diminish the fact that he'll still a viable commodity in this league - especially at a bargain basement price.

There seems to be a myth that Finley is still this Jordanesque-type of player, when nothing could be further from the truth. Yes, he was once a brilliantly talented and gifted player.

I've watched this guy closely the last 3 seasons and if anyone thinks he is something other than a streaky, one-dimensional shooter - then YOU don't know basketball.

I've also watched this dude come up empty tiime and again in every playoff series he's been in (including the 2003 Mavs/Spurs). When defenses press him on the periimeter to take away his jumper - he's dead. If you want to be known as a clutch shooter, you have to make clutch shots. You have to have more weapons in your arsenal - he does not.

My issues with his game are numerous. Over the course of his career, he's failed to round out other elements of his game. He can't handle the rock very well, can create his own shot, doesn't rebound, get to the glass or make others around him better. Where he could once slash to the basket, get an offensive rebound and put back, he skills have eroded to the point he no longer can do these things. Now that his athleticism has diminished, he has evolved into a streaky, one-dimenensional, standstill, jump shooter - just as D-Town has pointed out.

Furthermore, he compounds these liabilities by making no effort at playing defense. All are things that drove Avery nuts last season. Blame Finley or even blame Nelson if you want, but if AJ wanted this guy back on his team, there's no question, he 'd be there.

If he joins our team, fine. He'll be in a supporting role and contrary to all my points, I think he could fit in, but at what price? Do we get trade Barry, let Devin walk? The bottom line is I would not mortgage the future of our squad to add this guy to the roster. Especially at the expense of say, a Devin Brown.

[SequSpur]

Finley at one time was bad ass.

He ain't no more.

[picnroll]

Finley is fully capable of going off for 15 - 20 points in one or two games each playoff series. If he's coming cheap and doesn't mind witting when he isn't getting it done then sign him up.

[FromWayDowntown]

I'm not going to get into any long discussions about this. I can see arguments for and against pursuing Finley. I dispute that he is a great player, but he's obviously more than some spare part, too.

Just a couple of stray comments:


I've also watched this dude come up empty tiime and again in every playoff series he's been in (including the 2003 Mavs/Spurs). When defenses press him on the periimeter to take away his jumper - he's dead. If you want to be known as a clutch shooter, you have to make clutch shots. You have to have more weapons in your arsenal - he does not.

Well, I don't know that you can say that he has never come up big, though. In Game 5 of the 2003 West Finals, Finley almost single-handedly willed the Mavericks to victory. He was magnificent in that game, scoring 31 points (on 9-14 from the floor and 12-12 from the line), pulling down 8 boards, dishing 3 assists, coming up with 5 steals, and adding 2 blocks to boot. You can't just say that's ancient history, either. When the Mavs needed to bounce back from their Game 1 loss at Phoenix in the WCSF this past season, Finley was there to get it done, dropping 31 points on 12-18 from the floor (including 5-6 from behind the arc), with 6 rebounds and 5 assists.

I think the point is that Finley is still an explosive player who can fill a stat sheet on occasion. The problem in the Mavericks context was that they depended on Fin to have efforts like that most nights and overpaid him in recognition of that fact.

The dude does have some history of coming up big in important playoff games.


My issues with his game are numerous. Over the course of his career, he's failed to round out other elements of his game. He can't handle the rock very well, can create his own shot, doesn't rebound, get to the glass or make others around him better. Where he could once slash to the basket, get an offensive rebound and put back, he skills have eroded to the point he no longer can do these things. Now that his athleticism has diminished, he has evolved into a streaky, one-dimenensional, standstill, jump shooter - just as D-Town has pointed out.

I think that the flaws in Mike's game are more a product of age and injury than a failure to develop other aspects. Most wing players who initially rely on athleticism tend to become jump shooters as their careers progress. Finley is among the guys in that group. Could he be a better jump shooter? Sure. Does it diminish his value? A bit. Is he still a major league commodity? I don't think there's any doubt about it.


If he joins our team, fine. He'll be in a supporting role and contrary to all my points, I think he could fit in, but at what price? Do we get trade Barry, let Devin walk? The bottom line is I would not mortgage the future of our squad to add this guy to the roster. Especially at the expense of say, a Devin Brown.

I think the question that the Spurs have to weigh is the Devin question. Is Mike Finley, as a jump-shooting, offensively-explosive role player coming off the bench for a year or two, a better piece for the franchise than Devin Brown, a less talented prospect who is more the jack-of-all-trades?

Frankly, assuming that the Spurs keep Brent Barry, I think Devin is the better fit, because he provides some variety to what the Spurs offer. But that assumes that Devin is healthy and will remain healthy, two very big and unresolved questions.

It's an interesting cross-roads for the Spurs. The basic core of the team is still very young (under 30) but it won't stay that way forever. The question is whether you continue to season the roster with younger players, hoping that they'll contribute as the core roster ages, or whether you go back to a plan reminiscent of 1999, and acquire veterans who fill specific roles but won't necessarily be with the franchise a few years down the road. Of the dilemmas that exist in the NBA, it's the one I'm happy the Spurs have to bear, since it's a nice problem to consider.

[SequSpur]

Haven't the Spurs already offered Brown jack and he is just testing the market? Isn't he restricted? So the Spurs can match, right?

That doesn't make a difference with the mle or lle right?

So Finley's chances are unrelated to Brown's..........

How about this......

1. Finley
2. Van Exel
3. Sprewell

That is the Spurs pecking order for that spot.

Brown still comes back, and some injured reserve players are signed from camp.

Check it.

[Obstructed_View]

Anytime you can get a guy like this for half his true value or less, you have to try.
Well put. As much as this whole charade makes me laugh and as much as I believe that Fin is just allowing everybody to stroke him he's certainly worth the relatively low risk he will receive in salary when compared to the potential upside.

Here's the other side that I'm concerned with. To paraphrase another post in here: Anybody who thinks Michael Finley is the same player he was as an all star hasn't watched Dallas Mavericks basketball lately. Fin stopped going to the basket quite some time ago, and his bad decision low percentage shots have increased in frequency and decreased in success. He had the clout on the Mavericks to be able to take too many shots and get away with it, and he had good shooting nights just often enough for his supporters to cite as evidence of his contribution.

He also threw two elbows at my defensive ace, and I don't forgive very easily. :angel

[nkdlunch]

why isn't there a vbookie for where Finley signs!????

oh damn never mind got it!

[nkdlunch]

Breaking news!!!

http://www.doubleviking.com/wp-content/P1010018.jpg













just kiddin... found that somewhere.
:smokin

[SenorSpur]

Well, I don't know that you can say that he has never come up big, though. In Game 5 of the 2003 West Finals, Finley almost single-handedly willed the Mavericks to victory. He was magnificent in that game, scoring 31 points (on 9-14 from the floor and 12-12 from the line), pulling down 8 boards, dishing 3 assists, coming up with 5 steals, and adding 2 blocks to boot. You can't just say that's ancient history, either. When the Mavs needed to bounce back from their Game 1 loss at Phoenix in the WCSF this past season, Finley was there to get it done, dropping 31 points on 12-18 from the floor (including 5-6 from behind the arc), with 6 rebounds and 5 assists.


Yes I remember the bounce back game Finley had versus PHX in this past season's WCSF. However, what happened to him after that? Where did he go? He was never heard from again in the series. In fact, he faced much criticism and was called out by Nelson because he was invisible during the Houston series.

Since were going back, what happened to him in Game 6 of the 2003 WCF when Dirk exited the game due to injury? How about the 1-17 performance versus the Spurs in Game 5 of the 2001 WCSF?

For every good playoff game you can conjure, I can counter with 2 or 3 games for which he disappeared. With regards to Finley's playoff performance, one game does not a playoff career make.




I think the point is that Finley is still an explosive player who can fill a stat sheet on occasion. The problem in the Mavericks context was that they depended on Fin to have efforts like that most nights and overpaid him in recognition of that fact.

The dude does have some history of coming up big in important playoff games.

Yes, he has still has flashes of brillance, but they are often long breaks in between. Yes the Mavs counted on more from him because he was the anointed "heart and soul" of the team and had been THE "go to" guy before Dirk's emergence. He still commanded his share of shots, including those at the end of games.

If you're gonna fancy yourself as a shooter in this league, you better knock down open shots consistently. Consistency is what makes separates above average and even great players from good or average players. The problem for the Mavs is Finley was paid like a superstar, through no fault of his own, and he simply was not at that level. Trust me, if Avery viewed him as a viable commodity to their future success, no way would he have been an amnesty casualty.



I think that the flaws in Mike's game are more a product of age and injury than a failure to develop other aspects. Most wing players who initially rely on athleticism tend to become jump shooters as their careers progress. Finley is among the guys in that group. Could he be a better jump shooter? Sure. Does it diminish his value? A bit. Is he still a major league commodity? I don't think there's any doubt about it.

Finley's injuries have nothing to do with his inability to dribble, create his own shot, rebound and play defense. The flaws in his game have been there all along. They've become more glaring because of his diminished athleticism.

We can debate this all day long. However the fact remains that Finley's playoff track record is underwhelming and he's not the player he was five years ago. That fact has less to do with injuries than it does with his age and his own limitations as a basketball player.




Frankly, assuming that the Spurs keep Brent Barry, I think Devin is the better fit, because he provides some variety to what the Spurs offer. But that assumes that Devin is healthy and will remain healthy, two very big and unresolved questions.

We agree on Devin being the better fit for the Spurs. I'm afraid of the Spurs jepoardizing resigning Devin by going after Finley.

[z0sa]

devin brown isn't affected by the spurs signing finley ...

[rayray2k8]

Re: Finley Meeting With Wolves Friday

for what?