Kip Fanatic
08-31-2005, 09:19 AM
It seems like a no-brainer. Michael Finley is sure to sign with the Heat, right? After all, Miami can offer him more money than Phoenix or San Antonio -- as well as a chance to play with Shaq for an NBA title.
Why is Finley hesitating?
"I haven't decided yet," the free-agent shooting guard said Tuesday as he left the West Loop Athletic Club in Chicago, where he was working out with his personal trainer. "I should know by the end of the week."
It remains a good bet when all is said and done Finley, perhaps the top free agent left on the market, will sign with the Heat. After all, Miami has its full mid-level exception available -- $5 million next season -- while San Antonio can offer only $2.5 million and Phoenix the veteran's minimum of $1.1 million. Although an offset clause in the league's waiver rules would require Finley to give back around half of any new deal to his old Mavericks team, that's still a million good reasons to bypass the Spurs and two million to spurn the Suns.
But if the 32-year-old veteran has decided on plying his trade in South Beach next season he apparently hasn't told newly-acquired Heat forward Antoine Walker.
Finley and Walker have been working out almost daily at the West Loop club, formerly known as Hoops The Gym. On Tuesday, Finley emerged from the facility around 1:30 p.m. as Walker and several other NBA players were arriving for afternoon pickup games. Finley, ice bags taped to his knees, stopped to chat briefly with Bucks guard Bobby Simmons, then climbed into his black Land Rover.
Walker showed up just as Finley was pulling out of the driveway. "What'd Mike say?" Walker asked, seemingly as in the dark as everybody else. Told that Finley hadn't yet decided, Walker just shrugged.
If Finley were locked into the Heat, wouldn't he have given some indication by now to his fellow Chicagoan and potential teammate? Or was Walker merely acting as if he didn't know?
Either way, the fact it's taking Finley so long to decide can't be bad news for Suns GM Bryan Colangelo. Phoenix would love to add Finley to its backcourt rotation, especially after losing Joe Johnson. While the Suns can't offer as much money, they can offer Finley a chance to play for a championship and be reunited with his buddy Steve Nash. They also have the full $5 million mid-level exception to offer Finley in the summer of 2006.
"I think he's going to continue to ponder this and maybe decide later in the week," Colangelo said Tuesday. "He's not ready to make a decision yet."
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The Spurs also remain in the hunt for Finley's services. San Antonio reportedly had offered Finley the remaining $2.5 million from its mid-level exception for next season. But Finley might be leery of joining an already-crowded Spurs perimeter, a situation that figures to be worsened with Monday's addition of Nick Van Exel.
That's why everybody around the league seems to think Finley will wind up in Miami. The Heat might have a bit of a crowd in the perimeter as well, especially with Walker and James Posey now there logging minutes at small forward, but there are many other intangibles to attract him. He has a relationship with coach Stan Van Gundy dating back to their Wisconsin days. He shares the same agent, Henry Thomas, as Heat superstar Dwyane Wade. He also knows the Heat are serious about him, given last week's personal visit from Pat Riley, who traveled to Chicago along with Van Gundy to pitch Finley on the idea of joining Miami's redesigned juggernaut. If that's not enough, the Heat even hung banners with Finley pictured in a Heat uniform outside American Airlines Arena.
But if it's such an easy decision, then why is Finley taking so long? The longer it drags on, the more reason for fans of the Suns or Spurs to hope.
Why is Finley hesitating?
"I haven't decided yet," the free-agent shooting guard said Tuesday as he left the West Loop Athletic Club in Chicago, where he was working out with his personal trainer. "I should know by the end of the week."
It remains a good bet when all is said and done Finley, perhaps the top free agent left on the market, will sign with the Heat. After all, Miami has its full mid-level exception available -- $5 million next season -- while San Antonio can offer only $2.5 million and Phoenix the veteran's minimum of $1.1 million. Although an offset clause in the league's waiver rules would require Finley to give back around half of any new deal to his old Mavericks team, that's still a million good reasons to bypass the Spurs and two million to spurn the Suns.
But if the 32-year-old veteran has decided on plying his trade in South Beach next season he apparently hasn't told newly-acquired Heat forward Antoine Walker.
Finley and Walker have been working out almost daily at the West Loop club, formerly known as Hoops The Gym. On Tuesday, Finley emerged from the facility around 1:30 p.m. as Walker and several other NBA players were arriving for afternoon pickup games. Finley, ice bags taped to his knees, stopped to chat briefly with Bucks guard Bobby Simmons, then climbed into his black Land Rover.
Walker showed up just as Finley was pulling out of the driveway. "What'd Mike say?" Walker asked, seemingly as in the dark as everybody else. Told that Finley hadn't yet decided, Walker just shrugged.
If Finley were locked into the Heat, wouldn't he have given some indication by now to his fellow Chicagoan and potential teammate? Or was Walker merely acting as if he didn't know?
Either way, the fact it's taking Finley so long to decide can't be bad news for Suns GM Bryan Colangelo. Phoenix would love to add Finley to its backcourt rotation, especially after losing Joe Johnson. While the Suns can't offer as much money, they can offer Finley a chance to play for a championship and be reunited with his buddy Steve Nash. They also have the full $5 million mid-level exception to offer Finley in the summer of 2006.
"I think he's going to continue to ponder this and maybe decide later in the week," Colangelo said Tuesday. "He's not ready to make a decision yet."
Finley at Shopping.com
Find, compare and buy products in categories ranging from sports equipment to clothing....
www.shopping.com
Finley - Yahoo! Shopping
Search, compare and save. Visit Yahoo! Shopping to compare products and prices from...
shopping.yahoo.com
Finley on eBay
Find Finley items at low prices. With over 5 million items for sale every day, you'll...
www.ebay.com
Finley Areaguide
Your Finley Areaguide for Finley. You will also find information on lodging, real...
finleynd.areaguides.net
The Spurs also remain in the hunt for Finley's services. San Antonio reportedly had offered Finley the remaining $2.5 million from its mid-level exception for next season. But Finley might be leery of joining an already-crowded Spurs perimeter, a situation that figures to be worsened with Monday's addition of Nick Van Exel.
That's why everybody around the league seems to think Finley will wind up in Miami. The Heat might have a bit of a crowd in the perimeter as well, especially with Walker and James Posey now there logging minutes at small forward, but there are many other intangibles to attract him. He has a relationship with coach Stan Van Gundy dating back to their Wisconsin days. He shares the same agent, Henry Thomas, as Heat superstar Dwyane Wade. He also knows the Heat are serious about him, given last week's personal visit from Pat Riley, who traveled to Chicago along with Van Gundy to pitch Finley on the idea of joining Miami's redesigned juggernaut. If that's not enough, the Heat even hung banners with Finley pictured in a Heat uniform outside American Airlines Arena.
But if it's such an easy decision, then why is Finley taking so long? The longer it drags on, the more reason for fans of the Suns or Spurs to hope.