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Fairly disturbing article after this past season. Have to see how it unfolds. Anyone up to start a "Finley Watch" Thread?
http://www.mysanantonio.com/sports/s...listening.html
Spurs: Horry all but gone; Finley still listening
Jeff McDonald - Express-News
In the summer of 2005, Michael Finley was one of the hottest commodities on the NBA’s free-agent market.
When he eventually agreed to a deal that took him from Dallas to San Antonio, he was hailed league-wide as the missing piece that would surely net the Spurs another championship.
Three years later, Finley is back on the free-agent market, one championship ring heavier. Though he isn’t commanding the same type of breathless attention at age 35 as he was at 32, one thing hasn’t changed with time.
The Spurs still want him.
And Finley, apparently, is listening.
“He’s been talking to the Spurs, and he’s interested in continuing to talk to the Spurs,” Finley’s agent, Henry Thomas, said Friday. “He’s just taking his time, weighing his options.”
Negotiations with Finley will continue as the summer moves along. Negotiations with another of the Spurs’ veteran free agents, meanwhile, might never begin in the first place.
The Spurs haven’t held serious talks with Robert Horry since the season ended, leading to speculation — some of it coming from the 37-year-old forward himself — that his days in San Antonio are done.
Lost in the Spurs’ summertime youth movement, Horry told a San Antonio television station this week he doesn’t believe he will be back next season.
If he doesn’t get an offer from another team, Horry — a 16-year NBA veteran who garnered two of his seven championship rings with the Spurs — could be forced to retire.
And so, it appears Finley could be the final free-agent holdover from last year’s Spurs team with a chance to return in 2008-09. Kurt Thomas, the 35-year-old forward-center who re-upped earlier this week, is the only free agent the Spurs have retained so far.
Finley is coming off a 2007-08 season that was statistically solid, though seldom spectacular. He started 61 games, averaging 10.1 points, and shot 41.4 percent from the field — including 37 percent from 3-point range.
All of those numbers represented modest improvements on Finley’s 2006-07 contributions, though his production dipped in the postseason.
The Spurs still value Finley’s veteran leadership and professional presence in their locker room, and are open to bringing him back.
Just like in 2005, Finley is listening.
Fairly disturbing article after this past season. Have to see how it unfolds. Anyone up to start a "Finley Watch" Thread?
I don't know why it is taking the mainstream media so long to figure out Horry won't be back. After RC straight up said it during a summer league broadcast, that should have closed the door.
Finley, unless another team decides to open the bank, will be back. That scares me because Pop might overplay him, however that is the case. Finley as a deep reserve would be pretty good insurance. Finley as a starter or even a main player off the bench would be a disaster.
Because McDonald is a ing idiot?
I think Pop will use him as a deep reserve. And that's not a bad thing. I know Spurs fans think having Finley back would be a disaster, but it really isn't - if his playing time is limited. He's a great veteran presence and will help the younger players on this team learn things both on and off the court. I trust Pop knows that Finley geting 20+ mpg isn't a good thing for this team.
lets hope the young guns though can step up and pop trust them in the playoffs to
Very true. Experience off the bench and depth might be a big problem next year. I didn't want him back but as a 5th wing, he wouldn't be bad.
I agree. Mason may (and hopefully will) chew up Fin's minutes, but having a vet on the bench that knows the system and has playoff experience is not a terrible option.
horry was on record that he did not want to coach
be intersting to know if mike wants to
The thing that makes me uncomfortable about Fin's game is his lack of effort on the defensive end....not that he's ever been the most stellar of defenders, but he was abused and exploited (especially in the post) trying to guard SF's that had any kind of advantage over him physically. This scares me even more than those offensive droughts he has the potential to go into every other game.
barry was really as bad
you have to have one vet guy on the system
next year you can get rid of mike
As the 5th wing, if he's used in spot minutes, it won't matter much. He'll probably see a lot of DNP-CD's and rare games of over 10 mpg.
I think those of us on here are the only one's outside of Utah that saw and heard it, likewise it sounds like RC believes the same thing according to his statements at the KT signing.
Still rather have a hobbled Barry that can hit a shot from anywhere on the court and doesn't need much time to warm up than a healthy Finley who gives no effort on the defensive end of things at this stage in his career. Nevertheless, that ship has sailed and the decision was made regarding Barry's future after that calf injury. If Fin does come back, Kurt and Ian have to step it up defending the paint if Finley, by some chance, sees major minutes.
Hopefully Pop won't be too tempted to throw him back into the starting lineup for any real length of time if one of the newer SG's/SF's falters a bit. It will also be interesting to see how well Udoka progresses this season.
i have no problem having finley back, as long as hes fighting to steal minutes from udoka, not getting the starting nod. now i wanted barry back in that role, but since that wasnt in the cards, finley is the next best thing.
Given what's out there, Finley is probably a better third stringer than anyone out there. He'd be playing behind Ginobili and Mason.
Anyone have any idea what kind of money Finley is likely seeking? My best guess is around the LLE, but the Spurs might want him to take the veterans minimum. I wonder if length of contract is an issue too; I wouldn't expect the Spurs are offering anything more than 1 year plus a 1 year team option.
Blasphemy, don't you know that they could sign the non practicing Devin Brown instead!!
On the contrary. I don't trust Pop to give minutes to a younger player over one of his favorite reserves. Pop has demonstrated a tendency to "overvalue" some veterans who were clearly past their primes (NVE, Damon, Horry and Finley last season). The mere fact that he's contemplating bringing Finley back is disturbing - especially in light of the horrendous scoring droughts this team endured with him as the starting 2-guard.
For those that still laud his shooting ability, showing up every 5th game or so does not qualify as consistent performance and does not warrant bringing him back for yet another season. Mark my words: if Finley does return, I wouldn't be surprised if he has his share of starts for this team.
Oh god no. Please Pop, PLEASEEEEEEEEEEE don't start Finley ever again, unless Mason, Bowen, Manu, and Udoka are all hurt.
If Mason doesn't start, then we're off to a bad start.
In theory bringing Finley back for a deep reserve role sounds nice but I still don't trust it. If he couldn't even come off the bench as a 6 man to be productive, then how is he going to function as an 8th or 9th player off the bench? I don't see it happening. Looking back it was unnatural how much the team had to work to accommodate him so that he could be productive. That's why I think they should try to find a younger player to develop. I've lost confidence in the coaching staff to develop young players but they're going to have to this season. We can't keep doing the same old anymore.
I don't like him at all, but he could have a certain role on the team. He could play in the games Manu misses with minor injuries, or like for example if Pop wants to rest him in a back-to-back situation, Fin could play one of the games instead.
And all the games Manu is healthy, he can rack up the DNP-CDs a la Steve Smith.
If Finley is back to be the 5th wing good. Other than that not a good thing
Mason will probably play about 25 minutes a night, Manu will be up for about 23 at the 2 spot and 5 minutes in a PG role. That leaves about 10 minutes for Fin.
Im fine with that.
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