loveforthegame
09-03-2005, 12:03 PM
Dwain Price never gets details right so I wouldn't put much stock into his claim that Fin signed a 1yr deal.
As Spur, Finley is now the face of the enemy
By DWAIN PRICE
Star-Telegram Staff Writer
SAN ANTONIO - Michael Finley held his tongue when the Mavericks waived him Aug. 15.
Friday, after signing a one-year, $2.6 million contract with the world champion San Antonio Spurs, the 6-foot-7 swingman chatted freely about the NBA's "amnesty" clause that ended his eight-years-plus tenure as a cornerstone of the Dallas franchise -- and saved Mavs owner Mark Cuban $51.8 million in luxury tax.
"There were a lot of teams that opted to not use the clause, but the Mavericks decided to do that, and that's a decision that they wanted to do," Finley said. "I guess I wasn't seen as part of the future or near future in the Mavericks' eyes, which is cool.
"I understand that basketball players come and go. And, for me, I'm coming to a situation where I was wanted."
Finley ranks in the top five in several of the Mavs' all-time statistical categories. That's why Finley thought the Mavs could have used the amnesty clause on another player, allowing him to continue his career in Dallas.
"When the amnesty rule came about, Mark had hinted that it may be a chance that I may get waived," Finley said. "And, when he said that, I pretty much knew that I was going to get waived. ... I've been in this league 10 years, and I've seen the good, the bad and the ugly."
The Mavs tout Josh Howard and Marquis Daniels as their future. They play the same positions as Finley -- shooting guard and small forward.
The Mavs' loss has been a bonus for the Spurs, who signed former Mavs guard Nick Van Exel on Monday.
"You don't get a chance to get the Michael Finleys of the world very often, so this is really a neat time for us," Spurs general manager R.C. Buford said. "It's exciting for our team. It's exciting for our franchise and exciting for San Antonio."
It's also exciting for Finley, who already has his calendar circled for the first Spurs-Mavs meeting this season.
"I think it's Nov. 5 [the Mavs' home opener]," he said to laughter. "It should be an interesting game. It's always been a rivalry, even when I was with Dallas, and just the whole Interstate [35] thing. So now I think it's going to be even more of a rivalry for myself, and I guess Nick Van Exel as well."
Finley also considered Miami, Phoenix and Minnesota. He said calls from Spurs forward Tim Duncan and Van Exel helped sway his decision.
The Heat could have offered Finley a first-year salary of $5 million. The Suns could have offered him a starting position and the chance to play with former teammates Steve Nash and Raja Bell. Spurs coach Gregg Popovich figured he had little chance of signing the 32-year-old.
"I was a little bit surprised because I thought that he had some personal relationships in places that would probably lead him to those teams. And he probably was guaranteed more playing time with a couple of those places as a starter," Popovich said. "So I thought, all things being equal, that he would probably choose someplace else."
Popovich said the Spurs tried to sign Finley when he became a free agent after the 2000-01 season. But he opted to remain in Dallas and sign a seven-year, $102.2 million contract. The Mavs must still pay Finley $51.8 million over the next three seasons, minus one-half of what he makes from the Spurs (or any other NBA team) in the span. He can't return to the Mavs until the seven-year deal expires, after the 2007-08 season.
It doesn't faze Finley that he'll go into this season knowing that he won't be in the starting lineup for the first time since 1996-97. He just wants to fit in -- and finally win an NBA championship.
"This team, with or without Michael Finley, is definitely a great team," he said. "... I'm just going to come in and try to help. I'm not going to try and impose my will on the team or the coaching staff. I'm just going to try to come in and give them a positive force off the bench."
That's especially true when the opponents are the Mavericks, who, for Finley, are public enemy No. 1.
"For Mark, he felt that it was a business decision that he had to make," Finley said. "I'm just fortunate that I was waived and I was able to explore free agency and get myself in a great situation like I am here in San Antonio.
"They could have traded me to a team, or I could have stayed there and been unhappy. But he opted to waive me, and I'm the happiest guy on earth."
As Spur, Finley is now the face of the enemy
By DWAIN PRICE
Star-Telegram Staff Writer
SAN ANTONIO - Michael Finley held his tongue when the Mavericks waived him Aug. 15.
Friday, after signing a one-year, $2.6 million contract with the world champion San Antonio Spurs, the 6-foot-7 swingman chatted freely about the NBA's "amnesty" clause that ended his eight-years-plus tenure as a cornerstone of the Dallas franchise -- and saved Mavs owner Mark Cuban $51.8 million in luxury tax.
"There were a lot of teams that opted to not use the clause, but the Mavericks decided to do that, and that's a decision that they wanted to do," Finley said. "I guess I wasn't seen as part of the future or near future in the Mavericks' eyes, which is cool.
"I understand that basketball players come and go. And, for me, I'm coming to a situation where I was wanted."
Finley ranks in the top five in several of the Mavs' all-time statistical categories. That's why Finley thought the Mavs could have used the amnesty clause on another player, allowing him to continue his career in Dallas.
"When the amnesty rule came about, Mark had hinted that it may be a chance that I may get waived," Finley said. "And, when he said that, I pretty much knew that I was going to get waived. ... I've been in this league 10 years, and I've seen the good, the bad and the ugly."
The Mavs tout Josh Howard and Marquis Daniels as their future. They play the same positions as Finley -- shooting guard and small forward.
The Mavs' loss has been a bonus for the Spurs, who signed former Mavs guard Nick Van Exel on Monday.
"You don't get a chance to get the Michael Finleys of the world very often, so this is really a neat time for us," Spurs general manager R.C. Buford said. "It's exciting for our team. It's exciting for our franchise and exciting for San Antonio."
It's also exciting for Finley, who already has his calendar circled for the first Spurs-Mavs meeting this season.
"I think it's Nov. 5 [the Mavs' home opener]," he said to laughter. "It should be an interesting game. It's always been a rivalry, even when I was with Dallas, and just the whole Interstate [35] thing. So now I think it's going to be even more of a rivalry for myself, and I guess Nick Van Exel as well."
Finley also considered Miami, Phoenix and Minnesota. He said calls from Spurs forward Tim Duncan and Van Exel helped sway his decision.
The Heat could have offered Finley a first-year salary of $5 million. The Suns could have offered him a starting position and the chance to play with former teammates Steve Nash and Raja Bell. Spurs coach Gregg Popovich figured he had little chance of signing the 32-year-old.
"I was a little bit surprised because I thought that he had some personal relationships in places that would probably lead him to those teams. And he probably was guaranteed more playing time with a couple of those places as a starter," Popovich said. "So I thought, all things being equal, that he would probably choose someplace else."
Popovich said the Spurs tried to sign Finley when he became a free agent after the 2000-01 season. But he opted to remain in Dallas and sign a seven-year, $102.2 million contract. The Mavs must still pay Finley $51.8 million over the next three seasons, minus one-half of what he makes from the Spurs (or any other NBA team) in the span. He can't return to the Mavs until the seven-year deal expires, after the 2007-08 season.
It doesn't faze Finley that he'll go into this season knowing that he won't be in the starting lineup for the first time since 1996-97. He just wants to fit in -- and finally win an NBA championship.
"This team, with or without Michael Finley, is definitely a great team," he said. "... I'm just going to come in and try to help. I'm not going to try and impose my will on the team or the coaching staff. I'm just going to try to come in and give them a positive force off the bench."
That's especially true when the opponents are the Mavericks, who, for Finley, are public enemy No. 1.
"For Mark, he felt that it was a business decision that he had to make," Finley said. "I'm just fortunate that I was waived and I was able to explore free agency and get myself in a great situation like I am here in San Antonio.
"They could have traded me to a team, or I could have stayed there and been unhappy. But he opted to waive me, and I'm the happiest guy on earth."