Bucher on "all night" last night...

[Arizona's Finest]

My reception kept cutting in and out so anyone who can double verify this is much appreciated.

Bucher was talking about Finley and actually said he believed Detroit and Phoenix to be the top choices for Finley. In fact he broke it down further and named the Suns as the likely destination. This is the first I have heard about the Suns possibly being the favorite as Bucher cited Nash, the famaliarity, and the chance to start on a contender as his primary motivations. Its said that Finley likes Detroit (possibility of a ring and close to his Chicago home)but is unsure about limited playing time behind RIP and Tayshaun.

The host then referred to Miami, which had been mentioned numerous times as the favorite and Bucher said he was not so sure. I am unsure if he was citing his own personal preference or information he possibly had about Finley, but Bucher said the locker room of the Miami Heat is quite combustible and a guy such as Fins might feel a bit out of place with so many big dogs in one locker room. Bucher also said that he was not as sure that many people around the league favored Miami as the front runner for the title, as many are taking a wait and see approach.

They then went on to talk about the Atlanta situation (and this is when my reception started to get real bad, freaking south beach....) and the host especially, as well as Bucher stated that Belkin was possibly the voice of reason in the entire issue and that the Atlanta LLC could never carry on under the present circumstances with this type of internal turmoil. The host was very adament that the Suns were wise in not investing 70 million into Joe and that Atlanta gave up way too much. Possibly a big Boris Diaw fan?

 

[Chaplin]

That's strange, Bucher 2 days ago was convinced that it would be Miami or Detroit--he was adamant about it being Detroit, actually. Now he changes his mind 2 days later? My guess is that he has no idea where Finley will go.

 

[JS22]

That's strange, Bucher 2 days ago was convinced that it would be Miami or Detroit--he was adamant about it being Detroit, actually. Now he changes his mind 2 days later? My guess is that he has no idea where Finley will go.

Or, maybe he has heard something from a source? New information?

 

[coloradosun]

"the lockerroom in Miami could be very combustible"

Walker, Posey and Williams will definitely have to change their attitudes to make it work in Miami, I am not sure Finley can be guarenteed that will happen. Shaq may be the top dog but I am not sure he is going to end up being the voice heard most often in the lockerroom or in the media. He tended to let Kobe be out front in LA and I am sure he will play the same role with these guys.

 

[Arizona's Finest]

I saw the espn news brief you were referencing chaplin and I to was caught off guard when i heard this last night. His insistence that Mark Cuban was going to speed up the defferal process if Finley went East was why Bucher said " 2/3 of the teams are out of contention for his services". Last night however he cited detroit again but it seems like Miami is not as high up on Fins list as previously though. Articles in the Republic are referencing that Finley coming here is very viable and while the Miami Herald was reffering to Finley as past tense a few days ago(meaning it was a no brainer he was going to South Beach) it seems that they have taken a less brazen attitude in that newspaper as well. This seems to point favorably in the Suns direction and i did not here Bucher say anything about Cubans ultimatum last night so maybe that was a bogus report....

Anyway i know this has been said many a time but should'nt Stern step in and say something about this Cuban guiding Finley to the east coast...Seriously i am really starting to hate the guy (cuban) and i hope we hand him his a$$ from this point on....

 

[Arizona's Finest]

and now this....per hoopsworld.com

The Michael Finley sweepstakes is fun to watch, with the Miami Heat, Detroit Pistons and Phoenix Suns all in the running. The Heat and Pistons can pay him the most - $5M for this season while he still banks a check from Dallas Mavericks owner Mark Cuban ($50M spread out awkwardly over the next nine years). Playing with old friend and reigning MVP Steve Nash is a big lure, even if the Suns would like to get him at under half what the Heat and Pistons are dangling. In Phoenix his starting role is waiting for him. In Miami Dwyane Wade already plays his spot but Finley has been known to pull duty at the small forward spot, which could be his. In Detroit he’s the sixth man behind Richard Hamilton at the shooting guard and Prince at the three-spot. All have an equal shot to reach the NBA Final so after years of just flirting with the possibility in Dallas, it’s nice to see Finely have his choice of the top three Finals hopefuls outside of San Antonio (who has shown token interest). Miami is the lock, Phoenix could be the shock but Detroit is third in line especially now that they are rubbing noses with Latrell Sprewell


Seriously does anyone know what they are talking about when it comes to this situation.....?

 

[Joe Mama]

and now this....per hoopsworld.com

The Michael Finley sweepstakes is fun to watch, with the Miami Heat, Detroit Pistons and Phoenix Suns all in the running. The Heat and Pistons can pay him the most - $5M for this season while he still banks a check from Dallas Mavericks owner Mark Cuban ($50M spread out awkwardly over the next nine years). Playing with old friend and reigning MVP Steve Nash is a big lure, even if the Suns would like to get him at under half what the Heat and Pistons are dangling. In Phoenix his starting role is waiting for him. In Miami Dwyane Wade already plays his spot but Finley has been known to pull duty at the small forward spot, which could be his. In Detroit he’s the sixth man behind Richard Hamilton at the shooting guard and Prince at the three-spot. All have an equal shot to reach the NBA Final so after years of just flirting with the possibility in Dallas, it’s nice to see Finely have his choice of the top three Finals hopefuls outside of San Antonio (who has shown token interest). Miami is the lock, Phoenix could be the shock but Detroit is third in line especially now that they are rubbing noses with Latrell Sprewell


Seriously does anyone know what they are talking about when it comes to this situation.....?

I certainly wouldn't bank on anything from hoops world. They seem to know as much as we all do or possibly less.

Joe Mama

 

[The Commish]

I certainly wouldn't bank on anything from hoops world. They seem to know as much as we all do or possibly less.

Joe Mama

I would put money on them knowing less.

 

[Errntknght]

One thing we can be sure of and that is that one of us on here will call it right. Of course, we have no idea who that is but he will let us know after it happens.

One thing I haven't read from the media pundits but have read once on here was that with the Suns, Fins would get props for his contribution while he'd be labeled a 'coattailer' with Spurs, Heat or Pistons. I don't know that he cares about that but it's certainly possible he does.

 

[George O'Brien]

One thing we can be sure of and that is that one of us on here will call it right. Of course, we have no idea who that is but he will let us know after it happens.

One thing I haven't read from the media pundits but have read once on here was that with the Suns, Fins would get props for his contribution while he'd be labeled a 'coattailer' with Spurs, Heat or Pistons. I don't know that he cares about that but it's certainly possible he does.

Think Steve Smith. A once fine player who got his ring by being a backup that no one paid any attention to. Somehow, if you get the ring, you want to be a major contributor and not just a tag-a-long.