Cuban gives Finley invite to return

[SpurOutofTownFan]

Jeez, he certainly sucked against Golden State, but I would think Spurs fans would know better than to write the guy off. He's owned your team.

Howard and Terry owned our team. Not Dirk.

[ponky]

Howard and Terry owned our team. Not Dirk.

Wow, such b.s. all thanks to the Warriors...please, pray that they keep us out again next year, you'll need it with all the amnesia you have from the Spurs/Mavs series last season.

[SpurOutofTownFan]

Wow, such b.s. all thanks to the Warriors...please, pray that they keep us out again next year, you'll need it with all the amnesia you have from the Spurs/Mavs series last season.

Looking forward to it.

[Findog]

Howard and Terry owned our team. Not Dirk.

37 points and 15 rebounds in Game 7 says otherwise. But alas, that was last year, and this is this year:

[ashbeeigh]

ummm, as an owner, he probably should be working on getting the mavericks a better pg so yeah, i don't think there's much shock and awe that he's going to try and work on tweaking problems here and there. i'd be pissed if he was actually taking a time out and not trying to resolve the weaknesses that the mavericks have for next season.

I never said I was questioning his moves as an owner, you should reread my response. I questioned the way he has gone about the moves, which I believe is how this whole thread started.

[SpurOutofTownFan]

37 points and 15 rebounds in Game 7 says otherwise. But alas, that was last year, and this is this year:

You are talking about one game, man. It was really Terry and Howard that dismantled the spurs throughout the series. Spurs just didn't have anything to stop them. I can have Ginobili scoring 35 points and 10 rebounds one single game and still lose the series. Or have Tim Duncan getting double-doubles every game and still lose the series and then come to you and tell you TD owned your face but we still lost. Makes no sense.

[MadDog73]

Mavericks saved $50 million in luxury tax and they had no control over his destination. And Finley hasn't helped the Spurs beat Dallas, nor would he have helped against Golden State, so I don't see how it was a mistake. And take it from me and my username, I'm the biggest Fin fan around.

So, again, why does Cuban want him back?

I'm honestly curious. We all agree Finley will not win Dallas a Championships. We all agree he's not worth more than the minimum.

So, WTF is Cuban on?!?

[zrinkill]

Mav fans need to piss off ...... you lost the best player you ever had ..... he is a Spur now ......

You disrespected him ....... and he will get a ring before your pathetic organization.



and it will bother ALL of you ..... even those of you pretending that you are rooting for him .....

[Findog]

So, again, why does Cuban want him back?

I'm honestly curious. We all agree Finley will not win Dallas a Championships. We all agree he's not worth more than the minimum.

So, WTF is Cuban on?!?

What, you don't think he's an upgrade over Greg Buckner or Devean George? We're not penciling him in for the starting two-guard spot.

I'm guessing it's some combination of him being able to contribute and sentimental reasons. If we want to beat Golden State or Phoenix (another team we would've lost to if we had had to face them), we need a back to the basket low-post scorer or a PG that can penetrate and create shots for others. Don't be surprised if Jason Kidd is a Maverick next year and Terry/Harris are toiling away for the Nots.

[mbass]

I don't know why Michael Finley would consider returning to Dallas after the way that he was treated by that organization and its fan base during the 2005-06 season. He's become a vital part of a team that consistently plays for les and is greatly appreciated by his teammates, the organization, and its fans in San Antonio. Plus, he'd be a fool to opt-out of his contract at this point, since he can still collect another set of huge checks from Cuban while playing for Cube's biggest rival and, perhaps, wearing a championship ring that he will have earned if the Spurs get there.

And I think the tampering allegations are right. Even talking about the possibility of acquiring a player who is under contract with another team has generally been considered tampering. I'm at a loss to understand why Cuban would have considered himself immune from that rule in this case.

I doubt if Finley would return to Dallas - his house here in Dallas is up for sale.

[angel_luv]

Fin Dog going back to the Mavericks would make as much sense as a player in the NBA requesting to go back to the D-League.

I agree with those who say Cuban is just a spotlight hungry fool.

[Findog]

You are talking about one game, man. It was really Terry and Howard that dismantled the spurs throughout the series. Spurs just didn't have anything to stop them. I can have Ginobili scoring 35 points and 10 rebounds one single game and still lose the series. Or have Tim Duncan getting double-doubles every game and still lose the series and then come to you and tell you TD owned your face but we still lost. Makes no sense.

It's really all three of those guys. How many times have we seen Dirk set up at the foul-line area and nobody on the Spurs can do anything about it? If they double him, Howard will cut to the basket for an easy deuce. If they play him straight up, he'll just shoot over Bowen, Finley or whoever the Spurs throw out there.

Part of why we lost to GS is that they put five 6'7 wings out on the floor and we don't have a low-post beast to punish them for it. Against the Spurs, however, Bowen can guard either Howard or Dirk but he can't do both. Duncan will get into foul trouble if he's put on Dirk and Oberto and Finley can't stop him either. Terry and Harris give the Spurs fits, Harris with his ability to get to the rim against a team that is otherwise very solid when it comes to interior defense, and Terry with his shooting. But against Golden State, Davis and Richardson are faster, stronger and bigger. So it is what it is.

Whatever moves Dallas makes this year have to be against the backdrop of knowing that the Spurs are going to be there every year of Duncan's prime and who knows if the Warriors can build on this playoff run? Barnes, Pietrus are up for FA and Nelson is making noises about retiring, and Davis is talking contract extension even though he can't stay healthy. I believe S-Jax's contract is up after next year, same as Finley, and I fully expect to see him return to the Spurs for the 08-09 season. With Diop and Dampier, we defend Duncan about as well as anybody does. At the very least, we can get away without doubling him the entire game. But since those guys don't have any offensive game and are limited in their effectiveness against up-tempo smallball, we're going to have to get points in the paint and good shot opportunities from somewhere else. Hence my relief that the Nets couldn't make it to the conference Finals in the Least and might be of a mind to start over. Don't be surprised if Kidd is a Maverick again.

[saporvida]

Howard and Terry owned our team. Not Dirk.

i agree... dirk the big bully of the spurs? hahaha. give me a break.

poor mav bandwagon fans don't know and always talking out their asses.

2006: Game1
dirk: 20pts
duncan: 31pts

2006: Game2
dirk: 21pts
duncan: 28pts

2006: Game3
dirk: 27pts
duncan: 35pts

2006: Game4
dirk: 28pts
duncan: 31pts

2006: Game5
dirk: 31pts
duncan: 36pts

2006: Game6
dirk: 24pts
duncan: 26pts

2006: Game7
dirk: 37pts
duncan: 41pts

who owned who?

[MadDog73]

What, you don't think he's an upgrade over Greg Buckner or Devean George? We're not penciling him in for the starting two-guard spot.

I'm guessing it's some combination of him being able to contribute and sentimental reasons. If we want to beat Golden State or Phoenix (another team we would've lost to if we had had to face them), we need a back to the basket low-post scorer or a PG that can penetrate and create shots for others. Don't be surprised if Jason Kidd is a Maverick next year and Terry/Harris are toiling away for the Nots.

If Dirk couldn't win with Nash, he sure as can't win with Kidd!

Man, I honestly don't know what Dallas can do. They've had their chances, and it's so hard to get to the Finals in today's NBA.

[mbass]

I don't know about that. I was at Game 3 of the Mavs/Spurs series last year, sitting in the upper deck, and Mavs' fans were booing Finley pretty lustily all night long. That was well before any of the Terry stuff started. I thought it was a pretty bush move by those who were there.

I went to all three Spurs-Mavs playoff games at ACC last year and the boos for Finley were continuous - I had to fill in the people around me that he did not leave of his own free will but that he was FIRED. I was disgusted with his treatment by the Mavs fans.

[Findog]

i agree... dirk the big bully of the spurs? hahaha. give me a break.

poor mav bandwagon fans don't know and always talking out their asses.

2006: Game1
dirk: 20pts
duncan: 31pts

2006: Game2
dirk: 21pts
duncan: 28pts

2006: Game3
dirk: 27pts
duncan: 35pts

2006: Game4
dirk: 28pts
duncan: 31pts

2006: Game5
dirk: 31pts
duncan: 36pts

2006: Game6
dirk: 24pts
duncan: 26pts

2006: Game7
dirk: 37pts
duncan: 41pts

who owned who?

They both had a great series. Neither team had an answer for the other's superstar. I think everybody agrees that Duncan is a better player than Dirk. So what's your point?

[mbass]

Oh that's right, Spurs fans don't go to their games or even sell out playoff games, my bad. Spin it anyway you want, there are plenty of lukewarm Spurs fans even if the more fanatical side of your fanbase exists in this forum. People that boo Avery in San Antonio are the same kind of people that boo Finley in Dallas, casual fans who don't appreciate a guy for the time he played with the team.

Sorry but I've been to Mavs games in San Antonio and the Spurs do not boo Avery.

[Findog]

If Dirk couldn't win with Nash, he sure as can't win with Kidd!

Man, I honestly don't know what Dallas can do. They've had their chances, and it's so hard to get to the Finals in today's NBA.

Kidd is a pretty good defender and a trio of him, Dirk and Howard, with Diop and Dampier to protect the rim is pretty formidable. Harris and Terry telegraph their passes and they don't create good shot opportunities for their teammates. Kidd is a huge upgrade over either of them. Only problem with Terry gone is that now you need an outside shooter, but we can probably get a Steve Kerr type for the MLE. As for Dirk and Nash together, they are both a lot better than when they played together. The Mavs also didn't have any interior defense whatsoever to speak of when Nash was here.

Even if we left the team alone, I would be fine with that. Phoenix is going to shake things up for financial reasons and it's premature to say that the Warriors are back to being perennial playoff contenders. They have a number of FA's and Nellie may not come back. The Spurs however are going to be there every year and we match up to you guys in the same way that the Warriors match up to us. I'd rather construct a roster to beat San Antonio (which is what we did) as opposed to blowing things up so we can beat a team like Golden State.

[MadDog73]

I'd rather construct a roster to beat San Antonio (which is what we did) as opposed to blowing things up so we can beat a team like Golden State.

Fair enough. I'm probably biased against Kidd, because of the whole Parker vs Kidd debacle.

[Agloco]

If Phoenix is shaking things up, perhaps the Spurs should try to get in on a little Matrix action eh? Seems he might be a good replacement for Bowen.

Won't happen, but I can dream right?

[Findog]

Fair enough. I'm probably biased against Kidd, because of the whole Parker vs Kidd debacle.

Don't get me wrong, the Warriors just gave the league an entire blueprint on how you beat Dallas, and other teams are going to try and utilize. Some of what Golden State did can't be replicated because of the unique personnel they have, the lift they got from their homecrowds and they just happened to catch fire and play their best ball of the season at the right time. But the Mavs are going to see more zone, more smallball, and they had better learn how to deal with it.

I don't think we would beat the Suns w/ Amare in the playoffs because they give us the same kind of fits. Since we can't move Dampier's contract very easily and both he and Diop have proven useful against San Antonio, we're going to have to go in a different direction as opposed to getting a back to the basket scorer. We need a distributing PG - Harris and Terry aren't it.

[michaelwcho]

Part of why we lost to GS is that they put five 6'7 wings out on the floor and we don't have a low-post beast to punish them for it. Against the Spurs, however, Bowen can guard either Howard or Dirk but he can't do both. Duncan will get into foul trouble if he's put on Dirk and Oberto and Finley can't stop him either. Terry and Harris give the Spurs fits, Harris with his ability to get to the rim against a team that is otherwise very solid when it comes to interior defense, and Terry with his shooting. But against Golden State, Davis and Richardson are faster, stronger and bigger. So it is what it is.
.

Good post. From personnel to coaching,Dallas was put together expressly to beat SA. when they ran into GS, they just weren't able to adjust.

[ehz33satx]

Re: Tampering -- just Cuban trying to start more involving the Spurs.

Just Cuban trying to keep his name and the Mavs name in the news. No big deal. Also I seriously doubt Finley would leave this classy and winning organization for the Mavs, who are the complete opposite. I am sure he would rather go out a winner.

[monosylab1k]

I'm sorry, this will be a very unpopular opinion, but I think trading for Jason Kidd would be a disaster. Don't get me wrong, Kidd is spectacular and he will help us in many ways, but an aging PG who could break down at any moment is not what Dallas needs.

Additionally, Kidd & Dirk will NEVER work out. Nobody respects Kidd's shot (or his ability to get to the hoop), and because of that, Dirk will continue to see double teams and fronts even with Kidd out there. Unless you're expecting Dirk to start slashing to the basket (i have better hopes for Transformers The Movie winning Best Picture at the Oscars) then Kidd is going to have alot more trouble distributing the ball as effectively as has in the past with guys like Jefferson, Carter, and K-Mart.

I'd much rather make a trade to move up in the draft and roll the dice on a guy like Mike Conley Jr. than use those same trading chips in the hopes that Kidd's body will hold up long enough to maybe win a le.

[ehz33satx]

Last I heard, Cuban was suing My Lil' Pony for infringing on the Mavs copy rights!