howard2
11-21-2005, 05:37 PM
The Arizona Republic
By Paul Coro
Nov. 21, 2005
Link: Arizona Republic (http://www.azcentral.com/sports/suns/articles/1121sunsside1121.html)
Finley's 'gut feeling' led to Spurs signing
Michael Finley admired Mike D'Antoni's recruiting pitch, wanted to rejoin Steve Nash and loved the idea of playing before Suns fans who treat him like a Suns lifer.
And he chose San Antonio. Finley considered Phoenix right up to the August day that he picked the Spurs.
"It was a tough decision to turn down an opportunity to come to the team that gave me a NBA opportunity and a chance to play with close friends in Steve Nash and Raja Bell," Finley said. "I just went with my gut feeling."
Finley said he did lists of positives and negatives for each team and prayed before San Antonio felt "more comfortable." He sacrificed better money and a starting job in Phoenix to go for a title as a reserve in San Antonio.
"D'Antoni is a good guy and a great coach," Finley said. "His philosophy about the game of basketball was very impressive. He has a lot of knowledge of the game. That came across in the meeting. That was definitely a positive for them. There were a lot of positives on their end, but I just felt more comfortable coming here (to San Antonio)."
The hardest part was telling Nash, who played six seasons with Finley in Dallas before signing last year with Phoenix.
"It was very similar to when he called to say he decided to sign with Phoenix," Finley said. "I had an opportunity to join him and he had left myself and Dirk (Nowitzki). It was still a tough call to make and a tough conversation to have because part of me still wanted to play with Nash because he made me a better player. I thought that if given that opportunity again, I would take it."
By Paul Coro
Nov. 21, 2005
Link: Arizona Republic (http://www.azcentral.com/sports/suns/articles/1121sunsside1121.html)
Finley's 'gut feeling' led to Spurs signing
Michael Finley admired Mike D'Antoni's recruiting pitch, wanted to rejoin Steve Nash and loved the idea of playing before Suns fans who treat him like a Suns lifer.
And he chose San Antonio. Finley considered Phoenix right up to the August day that he picked the Spurs.
"It was a tough decision to turn down an opportunity to come to the team that gave me a NBA opportunity and a chance to play with close friends in Steve Nash and Raja Bell," Finley said. "I just went with my gut feeling."
Finley said he did lists of positives and negatives for each team and prayed before San Antonio felt "more comfortable." He sacrificed better money and a starting job in Phoenix to go for a title as a reserve in San Antonio.
"D'Antoni is a good guy and a great coach," Finley said. "His philosophy about the game of basketball was very impressive. He has a lot of knowledge of the game. That came across in the meeting. That was definitely a positive for them. There were a lot of positives on their end, but I just felt more comfortable coming here (to San Antonio)."
The hardest part was telling Nash, who played six seasons with Finley in Dallas before signing last year with Phoenix.
"It was very similar to when he called to say he decided to sign with Phoenix," Finley said. "I had an opportunity to join him and he had left myself and Dirk (Nowitzki). It was still a tough call to make and a tough conversation to have because part of me still wanted to play with Nash because he made me a better player. I thought that if given that opportunity again, I would take it."