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Bowen
Finley
Gooden
Gooden likely to test free-agent waters
By Jeff McDonald
Drew Gooden arrived in San Antonio last March hoping to make it his home. He had bounced around the NBA for six-plus seasons in a nomad's career. He was finally ready to settle down.
Speaking to reporters at the Spurs practice facility this afternoon, Gooden reiterated his desire to remain with the Spurs after he becomes a free-agent on July 1, but intimated that he will test the market first.
"I had a great time here," Gooden said. "It was a great experience. Whatever happens, this will be a couple of pages in my book that will be memorable. I'd love to be a part of this organization, but we'll see this summer."
If Tuesday's Game 5 loss to Dallas was his last in a Spurs uniform, Gooden said he has no hard feelings with how it ended. He took a DNP-CD, as coach Gregg Popovich shortened his big-man rotation to use players most familiar with his system.
"We played a small lineup, small rotation, with the guys who have been here," Gooden said. "Some playoff games are going to be like that. If I've got to sacrifice playing to get a win, I'll do that."
In other clean-out day news ...
* Bruce Bowen said he hopes to finish out his contract in San Antonio. He is on the books next season for $4 million, only half of which is guaranteed. He doesn't want to go elsewhere.
"It would be a shock to me and my family, because this is home to us," Bowen said. "But if that's the case, we understand it's a business. Sometimes in business, there are tough decisions that need to be made."
* Michael Finley said he hadn't yet decided whether to opt into the final year of his contract with the Spurs. Finley is due $2.5 million, at his option.
"I haven't really thought about next year, to be quite honest," Finley said. "I'm going to sit back with my family now, enjoy this extended period of time off, and when the time comes that I have to make a decision about my future, that's when I'll make it."
That $2.5 million is free money to Finley, and he isn't likely to attract a better deal elsewhere. If Finley does return for a 15th season, it will probably be in a Spurs uniform.
Bowen
Finley
Gooden
If Finley retired then that would help indicate the direction the team should head.
2.5m for finley, forgot to write in he still checks in cubans checks whatever they agreed upon.....
he lives in chicago, i say we make a deal with the bulls, they get an expiring contract, we can absorb something from them, clears cap for them to make a better offer at gordan...
Bowen- ONE more year.
Finley- Goodbye.
Gooden- Yes, re-sign him. With a full training-camp under the Spurs I think he will be a good piece for us going into next year. Yes his defense needs work, but YOUNG post players with moves like him, a scorer, a rebounder...do not come around very often, especially for the Spurs.
The MLE should be used on
1. Sheed, and if not
2. Dice, and if not
3. Gooden.
Gooden should definitely stay, he is a great player, he did better than ive expected, even in such a short time he has been with us. So i want to see him here next season, when he is fully adjusted to the team, i think we can have a great future with him
McDonald is a tool. What kind of crack is that? Its like he's saying if Finley comes back next year, he is some kind of welfare queen, cashing checks that he doesn't work for. Back when we had Ludden, you could try to read FO tea leaves in his articles. With this guy you just get recycled info and garbage like this.
I had said pretty much the same thing last week in another thread so I agree with you. Finley could be the type of guy Vinny could use to help stabilize all his young players. Help them understand what the playoffs are really like to go all the way...not that he is an expert. And Fin would probably go for it knowing his days here are over with and the fact that he is from that area. It shouldn't be that hard to work some kind of a trade to satisfy all.
Finley has earned $125M in his career (only in salaries).
I doubt that $2.5M is a that big deal for him.
finley- no
bowen- yes
gooden- yes
It's a damn shame Finley earned more money playing basketball than David Robinson. He'll also probably end up earning twice as much as Manu
Yo Timvp, you've been really dogging on Finley lately, do you really hate him that much??It's a damn shame Finley earned more money playing basketball than David Robinson. He'll also probably end up earning twice as much as Manu
You hate finley almost as much as I hate bonner.
Gooden is worth bringing back at the right price. Finley and Bowen aren't worth bringing back at ANY price. They are beyond done. Ditto for Thomas and Oberto, and fortunately both Vaughn and Udoka's contacts have expired. This roster needs an enema in the worst way.
Keep gooden, and bowen, let finley retire.........we need fresh legs, if possible bring in another big through some sign and trades or actually go hard after sheed..........
We should keep Bruce for one more year and let him retire as a Spur. He showed he can still defend and he'd be a huge asset in mentoring the younger players.
I still think Gooden can contribute - I say keep him and let him go thru a full training camp and let him learn the system - and then see how much more he can contribute. Pop wanted him for quite some time and he must've seen something in him that he likes.
Bowen - Yes
Finley - No
Gooden - Yes. This was an unexpected gift that the Spurs were fortunate enough to land. I just believe at his age and with his skills, this team would greatly benefit from having him, with a solid training camp under his belt. He already established himself as the 3rd best scorer on the team (after Manu was injured of course). I'd love to see what he could do in a supporting role, off the bench. Furthermore, he'd be valuable insurance in case they cannot land Splitter. Resign him to a reasonable contract. Give him some solid minutes. If it turns out he doesn't fit, use him as an asset and trade him away.
I'm wondering if Gooden feels slighted, or thinks the Spurs are not going as far as he hoped, and now getting less $ to be compe ive with us seems not worth it.
this is his last chance to get a big paycheck, probably. If he signs for 3-4 years, his next contract will be past his prime.
I'm curious to see if he gets an offer at or above the MLE...my gut says teams will pay for his post play, even though Dallas MOSTLY punked him, no?
Smallball again.
TimVP was right -- Dallas was a terrible matchup for the Spurs.
But that just makes me even more thankful for '07 -- the Spurs got very lucky avoiding the Mavs that year.
I'l trade a 1st round loss (with no chance at a ring anyway) for a semi-lucky path to the le any day.
Players like Sheed and Gooden will not command the MLE.
If anything, we'll start seeing teams pull the same stunt the Nuggets did when they dumped Camby for a second round pick. Teams will be dropping salary--not taking it on.
Interesting thought. With every team looking to dump salary and clear cap space for the much-heralded FA summer of 2010, this will make for an interesting landscape for free agents. Probably even a bear market for available cash.
would rather keep gooden than go after a old ass sheed and dice but i think gooden is going to try for a pretty big contract and i don't think we'll be able to keep him. So we offer sheed a low ass contract just to give him a chance to play for a chip, then we make a trade with the nets for our expiring contracts (mason,kt,boner) for VC, and then we spend our MLE on a SF like ariza. That would be a dream, won't happen but can dream.
Keep Bowen, think about Gooden, opt out Finley
Wow...and wow. Talk about lucky.
The acid test for me is if Finley is in a Spurs uniform next year. Of course I'll follow the Spurs and hope for the best, but a part of me will be saying, "Oh , it's over." Hard to imagine our recovery going anywhere with this turkey on the roster.
Give it up Mike, please. Go home and count your millions, you lucky bas !
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