Whos had the most success since....

[leroyjenkins]

leaving the mavericks? and i dont mean in terms of wins.

Steve Nash (2 MVPs)

Michael Finley (1 Championship Ring)

Don Nelson (Turning the Warriors around)

[Fillmoe]

easily nash

[leroyjenkins]

maybe i should have reworded it to say "feels like he accomplished the most"

i wonder if that would change anything

[BUMP]

easily Nash

[SAtown]

Nash because the Suns get the best ratings.

[dirk4mvp]

eduardo najera

[Findog]

Finley was a key contributor on a championship team, it's not like he was Mitch Richmond sitting on the bench for the Lakers, but there's a dozen guys in the League that could've filled that swingman position for the Spurs.

Nash has elevated himself from All-Star caliber player to franchise player, but he can't get his team over the hump and he's becoming overrated.

Nellie got a terrible franchise to the playoffs, but his loyalty is ever tenuous. I don't see him coaching the Warriors past this year.

[Obstructed_View]

Mark Aguire? Sam Perkins? Detlef Schrempf? Bill Wennington? Jason Kidd? Chucky Brown? Samaki Walker?

[Medvedenko]

J Kidd....

[stretch]

Steve Nash. Finley gained the award that matters most, but he did it in such a sell out fashion, by just going to a team favored to win the title. I'm glad he got a ring, but personally I think that is a cheap way to get a ring, and doesn't prove anything about him being a true champion. I know that the Mavericks cut him, and that they didn't have to, but at the same time, if he cared so much about the team, he could have offered to restructure his contract to help bring in more talent, much like guys like Shaq and Peyton Manning have done.

Nash left, but turned the worst team in the west, into the #1 seed, and a title contender in just one year. Not to mention 2 MVPs. Plus, he is unquestionably the best player and leader of that team. Finley wasn't even a top 5 guy.

[SpursDynasty]

On an individual level, Steve Nash easily. 2 MVP awards. He's been the best player on the Phoenix Suns since joining and a top 5 NBA player since...Too bad he's stuck with an offensive-minded coach and a run-and-gun team.

On a team level, Michael Finley. He's been a part of a Spurs team that has gone 63-19 and 58-24, including an NBA championship and only lost in a 7-game series in overtime when no foul was called to send Duncan to the line the end of regulation. The team that beat SA that year went on to lose twice after that.

Don Nelson had huge success last year. He has a great team. His team at full strength for 82 games gets at least 55 wins. He easily dispatched of the underdog Dallas Mavericks in the first round. They were closer to beating Utah in the 2nd round than everyone thinks. Had they won that 2nd game that went to overtime, GS likely goes home with the momentum and wins both at home and eventually the series.

Overall, most successful has to be Nash.

[Findog]

if he cared so much about the team, he could have offered to restructure his contract to help bring in more talent, much like guys like Shaq and Peyton Manning have done.



Can you even do that in the NBA? I know NFL players do it all the time, but does the CBA permit that in the NBA?

[Obstructed_View]

Can you even do that in the NBA? I know NFL players do it all the time, but does the CBA permit that in the NBA?
I don't know why anybody thinks he should have done that for an organization and fanbase that hung him out to dry for all their problems while simultaneously blaming him for his contract. He didn't even know at the time that they'd later cut him and then have the gall to boo him and diminish what he gave to the Mavericks.

[stretch]

Can you even do that in the NBA? I know NFL players do it all the time, but does the CBA permit that in the NBA?
Shaq just did it the other year, I know that.

[resistanze]

I don't know why anybody thinks he should have done that for an organization and fanbase that hung him out to dry for all their problems while simultaneously blaming him for his contract. He didn't even know at the time that they'd later cut him and then have the gall to boo him and diminish what he gave to the Mavericks.
You're not being fair. If Finley had restructured his contract they could've offered Dampier 80 million!

[Findog]

I don't know why anybody thinks he should have done that for an organization and fanbase that hung him out to dry for all their problems while simultaneously blaming him for his contract. He didn't even know at the time that they'd later cut him and then have the gall to boo him and diminish what he gave to the Mavericks.

I didn't say he should have, I was just asking a question about the CBA. I didn't think players could restructure their contracts to give their team flexibility to acquire other players. Also, only bandwagoners would boo Michael Finley. Playoff tickets tend to go to rich people who all of the sudden decide a Mavericks game is a fine place to spend an evening in May. He got a standing O his first game back and the comments made by Dirk and Cuban were only half-serious at best.

[E20]

I'm just glad the Spurs got Finley a ring. I felt so bad for him in '06, when the Spurs lost to the Mavs. Then they reached the finals against the Heat, the other team lobbying for Finley. Finley must have been wishing he should have gone to the Heat instead of the Spurs, but all's well that ends well and Finley got a 'ship.

[stretch]

I don't know why anybody thinks he should have done that for an organization and fanbase that hung him out to dry for all their problems while simultaneously blaming him for his contract. He didn't even know at the time that they'd later cut him and then have the gall to boo him and diminish what he gave to the Mavericks.
Did you seriously ask me earlier whether I live here or not? Do you live here?

Dude, they had been talking about his contract for the entire offseason, and been trying to do whatever they could to trade him, so that the other team could waive his contract and resign with the Mavs. They had talked about doing that with the 76ers and Chris Webber, as well as the Knicks and Penny Hardaway. It was obvious that the Mavs wanted him to stay dearly, and he was always the biggest fan favorite as well, so if he truly cared and wanted to stay here, he could have restructured his contract.

As far as I'm concerned, the Mavericks did their part in trying to find a scenario to keep him. Finley didn't do his, so obviously he wasn't as interested in staying here as the organization was in keeping him. Thus, I feel when you look at it, there was absolutely nothing wrong with booing him. He was an opponent of our biggest rival, nothing more, nothing less. It would have been one thing if Dallas didn't even try to keep him, or notify him that his huge contract was keeping us from signing more talent in order to attain the ultimate goal of winning a title, and just cut him. But that wasn't the case AT ALL.

I'm not saying that I condoned booing him, as I personally loved the guy, and would not have actually booed him. But at the same time, I don't feel that there was anything too wrong with it either, like some people say. I guarantee that if Manu left the Spurs for the Mavs in the same type of situation, there would be plenty of Spur fans who would boo the guy as well. Avery Johnson was the starting PG of their first championship team, and hit the clincher, and he gets booed.

[stretch]

I'm just glad the Spurs got Finley a ring. I felt so bad for him in '06, when the Spurs lost to the Mavs. Then they reached the finals against the Heat, the other team lobbying for Finley. Finley must have been wishing he should have gone to the Heat instead of the Spurs, but all's well that ends well and Finley got a 'ship.
I agree. That was one thing I was happy to see. And as happy as I was in beating the Spurs, I really felt bad for Finley.

[Obstructed_View]

I didn't say he should have, I was just asking a question about the CBA.
Yeah, I was agreeing with you but continuing the thought.


Did you seriously ask me earlier whether I live here or not? Do you live here?

Dude, they had been talking about his contract for the entire offseason, and been trying to do whatever they could to trade him, so that the other team could waive his contract and resign with the Mavs. They had talked about doing that with the 76ers and Chris Webber, as well as the Knicks and Penny Hardaway. It was obvious that the Mavs wanted him to stay dearly, and he was always the biggest fan favorite as well, so if he truly cared and wanted to stay here, he could have restructured his contract.

As far as I'm concerned, the Mavericks did their part in trying to find a scenario to keep him. Finley didn't do his, so obviously he wasn't as interested in staying here as the organization was in keeping him. Thus, I feel when you look at it, there was absolutely nothing wrong with booing him. He was an opponent of our biggest rival, nothing more, nothing less. It would have been one thing if Dallas didn't even try to keep him, or notify him that his huge contract was keeping us from signing more talent in order to attain the ultimate goal of winning a title, and just cut him. But that wasn't the case AT ALL.

I'm not saying that I condoned booing him, as I personally loved the guy, and would not have actually booed him. But at the same time, I don't feel that there was anything too wrong with it either, like some people say. I guarantee that if Manu left the Spurs for the Mavs in the same type of situation, there would be plenty of Spur fans who would boo the guy as well. Avery Johnson was the starting PG of their first championship team, and hit the clincher, and he gets booed.

Yeah, well if you truly care about your job you'll take a pay cut to work there, unless you are like Finley or that ingrate Joe Torre. The Mavs wanted Fin to stay so dearly that the'd do anything short of paying him to keep him on the team. It's always a sign that the team loves you when they are trying to trade you or find ways to invalidate your contract when you start to have injury problems.

[stretch]

Yeah, well if you truly care about your job you'll take a pay cut to work there, unless you are like Finley or that ingrate Joe Torre. The Mavs wanted Fin to stay so dearly that the'd do anything short of paying him to keep him on the team. It's always a sign that the team loves you when they are trying to trade you or find ways to invalidate your contract when you start to have injury problems.
They didn't cut him because of injury problems. They cut him because they didn't have money for other talents.

And working at a place, and playing basketball are two different things. And if you are going to go the business route, then fine. It was all business when the Mavericks cut him. He was hindering the team's ability to advance further, thus he was a weak link that had to be let go of. He was not living up to the money that we were paying him. He was not willing to work out a deal to where both sides would benefit, so he was let go.

[monosylab1k]

the comments made by Dirk and Cuban were only half-serious at best.
well, Dirk was completely tongue-in-cheek with his booing comments. Cuban, on the other hand, was a complete ass about the whole situation. If there's one thing I'll never forgive Cuban for, it's the way he turned the city of Dallas against Michael Finley.

As far as his contract goes, hey shit happens. I felt that cutting him was the right choice only if that money was going to be put to good use. I feel that, with the exception of Buckner, it has indeed been put to good use. I hated parting with Finley but it was the right choice.

And there was nothing "cheap" about going to San Antonio to try to win a title. It's the smartest decision a basketball player can make if he wants to win.

[monosylab1k]

Dude, they had been talking about his contract for the entire offseason, and been trying to do whatever they could to trade him, so that the other team could waive his contract and resign with the Mavs. They had talked about doing that with the 76ers and Chris Webber, as well as the Knicks and Penny Hardaway. It was obvious that the Mavs wanted him to stay dearly, and he was always the biggest fan favorite as well, so if he truly cared and wanted to stay here, he could have restructured his contract.

As far as I'm concerned, the Mavericks did their part in trying to find a scenario to keep him. Finley didn't do his, so obviously he wasn't as interested in staying here as the organization was in keeping him. Thus, I feel when you look at it, there was absolutely nothing wrong with booing him. He was an opponent of our biggest rival, nothing more, nothing less. It would have been one thing if Dallas didn't even try to keep him, or notify him that his huge contract was keeping us from signing more talent in order to attain the ultimate goal of winning a title, and just cut him. But that wasn't the case AT ALL.

I don't think Finley should be criticized at all if what you're saying about this is true. He's still got some pride and dignity. Why strip him of it by making him run through hoops and be traded away, cut, then resign for far less to stay with the same team?

I don't blame the Mavs for cutting him, and neither did Finley. I think he understood the situation just fine, and he wanted to win, and the best place to go for that, besides Dallas, is San Antonio. So he went there.

What Finley didn't understand was how his former boss and supposed "friend" could blindside him and turn an entire city against him. A city that he gave the bulk of his career to. I don't understand that either.

In the Michael Finley situation, there is absolutely only ONE bad guy - Mark Cuban. And that's only because he had to act like an ass after his player punched Finley in the nuts. End of story.

[Spurminator]

If it's Finley then it's also Antoine Walker.

[Reggie Miller]

It's a tough call between James Garner and Roger Moore. Jack Kelley (Bart Maverick) and Robert Colbert (Brent Maverick) didn't work much after the show was cancelled.

[The Franchise]

I say Finley. I would much rather have a ring than the MVP or a first round triumph.