Michael Finley's Decision Countdown

[marcus]

Besides there is something else, if we don't sign Finley and re-sign Brown we will still have 2,7 millons of MLE!

Not to mention that Brown is 5 years younger than Finley.

[Solid D]

The interest on where Finley goes is very high, but most Spurs fans aren't wringing their hands and pacing the floor in hopes of signing Michael.

If you look at the NBA Championship lineup of 12 compared to a projected 12-man lineup including Devin Brown in 2005-06, it is an upgrade:

2004-05
N. Mohammed....R. Nesterovic........T. Massenburg
T. Duncan.........R. Horry
B. Bowen..........D. Brown..............G. Robinson
E. Ginobili..........B. Barry
T. Parker...........B. Udrih


2005-06
N. Mohammed....F. Oberto........R. Nesterovic
T. Duncan.........R. Horry
B. Bowen..........D. Brown
E. Ginobili..........B. Barry
T. Parker..........N. Van Exel......B. Udrih

The Spurs have not only improved in the Pivot and at the Point, they have upgraded 1st off the bench at the Pivot and at the Point. In the tone of Bill Parcells..."no offense to all the Slovenians out there"

[Shelly]

If Finley signs here, will the SBC center play Carribean Queen every time he scores?

[SenorSpur]

By now Finley should know what's important to him:

- Money
- Playing time
- or championship

Each team offers something a bit different with Miami probably better able to offer a mix of all three. Anyway, this is chess. It aint checkers. Make a decision and Let's get on with life. There are other FA whose job situations are hanging in the balance.

[Zan the Fan]

Methinks you meant this is checkers, not chess.

But who says NVE takes Beno's backup duties all season? Did Steve Kerr log serious burn until the playoffs in '03? No, Speedy did. Beno just struggled against perhaps the most intense pressure he'd ever seen in his life, not to mention some of the most intense pressure ANYONE in the NBA had seen all season! Damn. When did Beno become the new Rasho around here?

[marcus]

Methinks you meant this is checkers, not chess.

But who says NVE takes Beno's backup duties all season? Did Steve Kerr log serious burn until the playoffs in '03? No, Speedy did. Beno just struggled against perhaps the most intense pressure he'd ever seen in his life, not to mention some of the most intense pressure ANYONE in the NBA had seen all season! Damn. When did Beno become the new Rasho?

Oh, damn. Rasho's problem is not his playing level but his salary. Udrih is a totally different situation. In the next 2 years he will earn crap considered to what he can give on the court besides he still has potential to improve.

[Solid D]

Van Exel is hired for the playoffs, but let's face it, Van Exel has only averaged under 30 min./game on 2 occasions and that was with Dallas (2001-02 28.0, 2002-03 27.8).

Nick has been an All-Star. No question who is 1st off the bench in the playoffs.

Udrih takes a back seat to Van Exel unless Beno really upgrades his effectiveness or unless Nick gets in Pop's doghouse.

[BillsCarnage]

Smacks of Suns desparation to me. It sounds like you're more worried about this decision than anyone.

If Finley doesn't pick the Suns, you should be afraid - very afraid. Especially if you're entering the season with Leandro Barbosa as your backup PG and only Jim Jackson as your starting 3.

I don't really care if the Suns get Finley. In fact i rather they skip on him and sign Padgett. They're overloaded at the 2 and it would mean trading JJax who is and excellent bench player. It would also screw up the development of Jones.

[marcus]

Van Exel is hired for the playoffs, but let's face it, Van Exel has only averaged under 30 min./game on 2 occasions and that was with Dallas (2001-02 28.0, 2002-03 27.8).
Udrih takes a back seat to Van Exel unless Beno really upgrades his effectiveness or unless Nick gets in Pop's doghouse.

I believe Udrih wont see much action next season but he will still have a cheap salary next year and a lot of potential. Besides, by that time he will be a lot more nba experienced.

[marcus]

I don't really care if the Suns get Finley. In fact i rather they skip on him and sign Padgett. They're overloaded at the 2 and it would mean trading JJax who is and excellent bench player. It would also screw up the development of Jones.

I think trading Richardson for Thomas was a stupid decision and also letting Hunter go. JJ trade was a good move through.

[BillsCarnage]

I think trading Richardson for Thomas was a stupid decision and also letting Hunter go. JJ trade was a good move through.

They needed more inside rebounding and D. The Spurs exposed that so that's why KT was brought in. Will have to wait until the season starts to see how it works.
Hunter wanted to sign here, but after overpaying for Bell they couldn't sign him for anything more than the one year offer. Would have been good if he could have stayed, but that's the situation.

Including the package from Atl for JoJo you can lump Jones into that package as part of the trade ex was used to get him.

[marcus]

They needed more inside rebounding and D. The Spurs exposed that so that's why KT was brought in. Will have to wait until the season starts to see how it works.
Hunter wanted to sign here, but after overpaying for Bell they couldn't sign him for anything more than the one year offer. Would have been good if he could have stayed, but that's the situation.

Including the package from Atl for JoJo you can lump Jones into that package as part of the trade ex was used to get him.

Hunter would had been a much better pick than Bell for the same money. About the richardson trade i believe he is a much better player. One interesting option for the suns could have been Zaza Pachulia or even Dale Davis to start together with Hunter.

[timvp]

If Finley signs here, will the SBC center play Carribean Queen every time he scores?

[timvp]

The funny thing is other teams are dying for Michael Finley. The Spurs and their fans don't really care.

I, for one, prefer Devin over MF. Given that, I understand where the Spurs are coming from. MF is a two-time all-star and has had some good moments with Team USA. He'd give you a scoring punch off the bench, which was severely lacking last season. And perhaps most importantly, the Spurs would keep him away from PHX (where he would start) and MIA (where he would limit Antoine Walker's minutes).

He's kind of addition by subtraction.

[Useruser666]

I like Devin, but I've already had the Monty Williams scared out of me!

[marcus]

The funny thing is other teams are dying for Michael Finley. The Spurs and their fans don't really care.

I, for one, prefer Devin over MF. Given that, I understand where the Spurs are coming from. MF is a two-time all-star and has had some good moments with Team USA. He'd give you a scoring punch off the bench, which was severely lacking last season. And perhaps most importantly, the Spurs would keep him away from PHX (where he would start) and MIA (where he would limit Antoine Walker's minutes).

He's kind of addition by subtraction.

In my opinion Finley's deal could be a great addition for the spurs if first we get something nice in exchange for Brown ( i am talking about some future 1st pick).

[usckk]

It's official.

[marcus]

It's official.

, what is official?

[whottt]

Methinks you meant this is checkers, not chess.

But who says NVE takes Beno's backup duties all season? Did Steve Kerr log serious burn until the playoffs in '03? No, Speedy did. Beno just struggled against perhaps the most intense pressure he'd ever seen in his life, not to mention some of the most intense pressure ANYONE in the NBA had seen all season! Damn. When did Beno become the new Rasho around here?

Kerr actually was the back up PG for most of the season due to Speedy's injury...he played well in that role all season long and it probably contributed to his confidence at playoff time.

Kerr was a bigger part of that championship than Speedy Claxton, whose contribution was basically game 6 of the finals and little else.

[usckk]

I'm being an ass. Don't listen to me.

[ducks]

Tuesday August 30, 2005 5:56PM

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 le.

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."

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.

[Money316]

yup, and if he chooses another team besides the Spurs, everyone on this board who is beggin for him to come here will just as soon throw him under the bus as to why he's "worthless".

Bill - I'll throw his ass under the Via bus right now before he announces. If he signs, he signs. Spurs won without him. Phoenix lost JJ. If Suns get him, Spurs still ahead.