Finley choses the SPURS?

[Folster]

they don't have anything talking about the finley signing on the spurs site what a warm welcome

I don't believe it's official yet. I think Marc Stein got an early scoop on it.

 

[SunsTzu]

I don't believe it's official yet. I think Marc Stein got an early scoop on it.

Suns site already has an article about him going to SA.

 

[Folster]

Oh yeah. I forgot about that.

 

[George O'Brien]

I had real mixed feelings about Finley. I don't know how good he is anymore and he was never very good on defense. He would have been a nice pickup for the vet minimum, but I like the idea of having guys are good at playing defense.

 

[Errntknght]

I'd rather have Finley go to the Spurs than anyplace else, other than to us - and I wasn't all that excited about him coming here. Any other team he would surely help but I don't see him helping the Spurs, and it's even possible he will somehow hurt them. It's not likely as Pops is a very good coach and won't get sucked into playing him more than his game warrents. What I'm hoping for is that over the course of the regular season is that Fins gets most of Bowen's minutes and Bowen goes into a funk.. or maybe that would happen with Horry...

I'm inclined to believe that Pops wanted to keep him away from Phoenix more than he wanted what Finley adds to his team.

 

[Arizona's Finest]

Couple points as i was at the bar when i heard the news and immediatly drowned my thoughts with a couple "surfer on acids" (BTW didnt help...)

-ARGHHHHH.....Devil Alum i cant believe you dont think this is a big deal. While i support the idea of jackson and bell getting more minutes, he just went to our hated rival. They now have offense in spades and with the defense they play, they will likely walk to the title unless Amare is better than Timmy THIS YEAR...It could happen but we are asking alot of the kid.

-Finley is def. writing out the coattails on this one. "this is the closest i have been to a championship" comment shows that he realizes he just has to show up for the ring fitting in July. But his role will be so much lesser on that team. Is it me or has this guy become a big Texas guy all of a sudden. Where are those old fashioned mid-western values? How about some loyalty to your friends and the team that drafted you? That team demeanor IS perfect for him but the Riverwalk gets old after a couple visits Fins.

-I LOVE D'Antoni' s comments. I hope hes right.

-The one caveat is (and i will not backdown from the fact that we still need a starting two guard who can fill it up to be the de facto favorites) we have that TE and we could be a big player come deadline time. Hopefully Sarver realizes this and they go for the gusto so i dont have to watch the most boring team in the NBA kick our brains in in the playoffs.

-I HATE HATE HATE Greg Popovich. That M'fer (sorry Joe ) knew all along that he had a good chance to get this guy. And we played right into his freaking hands. You can tell he made the comments on purpose, because he not only said it on a radio interview, but to make sure it became national news, he reiterated it at the Van Exel press conference. He knows exactly what he is doing. And some of you dont think this guy doesn't play mind games? This guy is in our organizations head, from "chicken dance" Sarver down to the PR directors. Only Amare can put an end to all this madness.

-In a moment of clarity, the reality is this only puts us a notch below the Spurs in national preseason prognostications. We all know those were not on our side last year either. Maybe D'Antoni is THAT good. Maybe Nash just is THAT good. Maybe AMARE is THAT good. Time will tell but through the course of writing this, my stance has softend....(but do i really have a choice, or should i just be a bitter suns fan for the next three months....I'm looking at you tree squid)

-Yesterday was a double whammy as my beloved Cardinals got a punch to the gut when Seattle addressed a big concern with acquiring Peter Warrick. And yes there was another round of shots ordered when i heard that news as well.

 

[cly2tw]

Finley is definitely not the difference maker. Now with only Marion and Bell with set minutes of, say, 38 and 30, we are forced to play JJ3, Diaw, Barbosa as many minutes as they deserve in comparison to JJ2. This is a really good thing.

Now they gotta develop more half court plays like multiple screening for the shooter to compliment Amare's and Nash's one-on-one games and they need to really focus on defense to have a chance. I expect they unfold the full potential within this current roster and win the title this year!!

 

[devilalum]

He knows exactly what he is doing. And some of you don't think this guy doesn't play mind games?

 

[Ollie]

I'm sad for him, he'll never win it all next year (yeah I drink suns kool-aid every morning).

Anyway, it's not that bad, our young players will progress with playing time and we already have enough veterans in the backcourt, no need to mind too much about playing time... point guard depth still needed, though...

 

[elindholm]

I'm inclined to believe that Pops wanted to keep him away from Phoenix more than he wanted what Finley adds to his team.

I was thinking that too. Also that he wanted to keep Finley away from Miami. Sorry to say, but I don't see Finley being very happy in San Antonio. He may win a title, but he won't be an important contributor. If the Spurs get dethroned, he'll have had a pretty empty season.

 

[Joe Mama]

parker, van exel, udrih
ginobili, finley, devin brown
bowen, horry, barry
duncan, oberto
nesterovic, mohammed


seriously, you've got to be kidding me. they actually might have a shot at 70 with health.

Just a couple of quick corrections... San Antonio will not re-sign Brown now. I also suspect that Michael Finley will be the first person off the bench at the 2-3 with Brent Barry following. Mohamed starts ahead of Rasho.

I think San Antonio could win 60 games next year, but I don't see any way they win 70. There are only so many minutes per game.

I thought at the end of last year that there would be no chance that this team would be ripped apart... and here we are, with an older team, with Amare asking for a player option in his third year...he believes that the window will have maybe closed by that point, which may or may not be true. I understand the decisions made by Sarver and the organization, and while I've questioned them before, I admit they generally been quite successful. If I were owner, I would have made a commitment to keep JJ and Q no matter what and tried to get some cheap amnesty players for depth. I think that team would at least provide an interesting contrast to the Spurs as opposed to another team wanting to be more like the Spurs.

IMO Amare Stoudemire would be asking for the option regardless of this summer's moves. It's really a no-brainer, and I can't believe that top players don't do this more often. After that third year of his extension, Amare Stoudemire will be eligible for a super max contract that is 33% of the salary cap. Nash will be four years older, and this will give Amare a chance to see how the team is shaping up for the future.

At least the Phoenix Suns will have some flexibility at that point. If the Phoenix Suns had to re-sign JJ they would be stuck with his contract, the last year of Nash's, and the money it would take to re-sign Amare. Those three contracts alone would take up most of the salary cap.

Mike D'Antoni on Finley's decision:

“He obviously thought that San Antonio had the best chance to win a title. We’re here to make that a bad decision. But best of luck to him.”

“You know, I’m sure it was a hard decision for him. He has a couple friends on our team that I’m sure he disappointed, but again, it’s just an opportunity for other guys to play a little bit more minutes and we have a slew of guys on the roster that are capable. Really I hate it for him that he’s going to miss a championship.”



more here: http://www.nba.com/suns/news/finley_050831.html

say what you want about Mike D'Antoni' is coaching, but he gives some of the best quotes in the NBA. I love his attitude.

I had real mixed feelings about Finley. I don't know how good he is anymore and he was never very good on defense. He would have been a nice pickup for the vet minimum, but I like the idea of having guys are good at playing defense.

I just don't think that's true. Michael Finley's defense was not good last year, but at one point he was considered one of the better defensive shooting guards in the NBA. It will be interesting to see what Popavich can get out of him defensively, especially if his ankles are doing better next season.

I'd rather have Finley go to the Spurs than anyplace else, other than to us - and I wasn't all that excited about him coming here. Any other team he would surely help but I don't see him helping the Spurs, and it's even possible he will somehow hurt them. It's not likely as Pops is a very good coach and won't get sucked into playing him more than his game warrents. What I'm hoping for is that over the course of the regular season is that Fins gets most of Bowen's minutes and Bowen goes into a funk.. or maybe that would happen with Horry...

I'm inclined to believe that Pops wanted to keep him away from Phoenix more than he wanted what Finley adds to his team.

as recently as last night I was upset that Michael Finley went to the San Antonio Spurs. I've been saying for a little while now that I was not really sure I wanted Michael Finley here with the Phoenix Suns. I was especially leery of the idea of promising him the mid-level exception ex summer.

Errnknght, I know you aren't one who always sees the glass as half-full, but I like your rather positive take on this situation. I do agree that Michael Finley should not help the San Antonio Spurs as much as he might have helped a team like Miami or Minnesota. I would love to see him take minutes from Bruce Bowen. However I agree that Pops is one coach whose unlikely to give the player minutes he isn't absolutely deserving.

I don't believe that Michael Finley is a significant upgrade if he's taking Brent Barry's minutes. Brent Barry did not play especially well last season, but I still believe he's a better offensive player than Michael Finley. He's a much better three-point shooter regardless of his 35.7% last season.

Here's how I see the minutes being allocated for the Phoenix Suns next season (please realize these minutes change in my mind from day to day):

PG - Nash (33), Diaw (10), Barbosa (5)
SG - Bell (30), Jackson (15), Barbosa (3)
SF - Marion (21), Jones (15), Jackson (12)
PF - Amare (30), Marion (15), Thomas (3)
C - Thomas (27), Grant (10), Mare (5), Burke (6)

I like those lineups. I think what they lose offensively they gain on the boards and defensively.

Joe Mama

 

[Arizona's Finest]

oops double negative....

"and some of you still think he doesnt play mind games?"

 

[jbeecham]

Here's how I see the minutes being allocated for the Phoenix Suns next season (please realize these minutes change in my mind from day to day):

PG - Nash (33), Diaw (10), Barbosa (5)
SG - Bell (30), Jackson (15), Barbosa (3)
SF - Marion (21), Jones (15), Jackson (12)
PF - Amare (30), Marion (15), Thomas (3)
C - Thomas (27), Grant (10), Mare (5), Burke (6)

I like those lineups. I think what they lose offensively they gain on the boards and defensively.

Joe Mama

I think those lineups are pretty similar to how we'll see the minutes spread out, except for Burke. I don't think we'll play 11 men deep unless there are some injuries. Even then it's more likely that Padgett gets minutes over Burke if Padgett signs like he's expected to. I also think we might see a couple of minutes a game with both KT & Grant in the game together while Marion & Amare rest.

 

[F-Dog]

I was thinking that too. Also that he wanted to keep Finley away from Miami. Sorry to say, but I don't see Finley being very happy in San Antonio. He may win a title, but he won't be an important contributor. If the Spurs get dethroned, he'll have had a pretty empty season.

Me three.


The Spurs were the one team that I'd written off for Finley--veteran FAs never go to the defending champs, as long as they have other good options.

I guess NVE got Fin into his limo after all.


Suns fans should be nice to Finley anyway, though. It's looking like the Suns will need him just as much next year, if you catch my drift.

 

[George O'Brien]

PG - Nash (33), Diaw (10), Barbosa (5)
SG - Bell (30), Jackson (15), Barbosa (3)
SF - Marion (21), Jones (15), Jackson (12)
PF - Amare (30), Marion (15), Thomas (3)
C - Thomas (27), Grant (10), Mare (5), Burke (6)

I like those lineups. I think what they lose offensively they gain on the boards and defensively.

Joe Mama

I'm not convinced Finley was much of a defender, but admittedly he played on teams where defense was not stressed. The Mavs opponents shot:

2001-02 45.2%
2002-03 43.8% (before LaFrentz was traded)
2003-04 45.9%
2004-05 43.8% (with Dampier but less Finley)

As for minutes allocation, I expect D'Antoni to follow his usual pattern of an eight man rotation, depending on how the backup PG situation is handled:

Inside: Stoudemire, Thomas, Grant
SG/SF: Marion, Bell, Jackson
PG: Nash

Barbosa, Diaw, and Jones will battle for the eight position. Jones gets in if either Jackson or Bell are used to backup Nash.

They might use a nine man rotation if D'Antoni goes to small ball, but it is hard to sustain as long as the starters get serious minutes.

 

[haverford]

Why is everyone so convinced that Barbosa is now an afterthought, and that Diaw, for instance, leapfrogs ahead of him in the depth chart? Granted I have not seen Diaw really, and only a bit of Jones, but really, Barbosa can't be that much of a drop off....someone explain.

 

[tobiazz]

say what you want about Mike D'Antoni' is coaching, but he gives some of the best quotes in the NBA. I love his attitude.

Hmmm... reminds me of Westphal.

 

[Errntknght]

"Why is everyone so convinced that Barbosa is now an afterthought, and that Diaw, for instance, leapfrogs ahead of him in the depth chart? Granted I have not seen Diaw really, and only a bit of Jones, but really, Barbosa can't be that much of a drop off....someone explain."

Barbosa did not perform well at PG last year and there have been some indications that he will be used at SG this year. IMO, the coaches have been slow figuring out he's not a PG for this team, especially since the responsibility of playing PG seemed to toy with his mind last year - compared to his rookie year. The competition will be stiffer at SG ergo less minutes - based on his last year's form, particularly in the playoffs.

If somehow he returns from the offseason playing a notch above his rookie year, he could earn more PT. Hopefully, he and the coaches will work intensively on his D, which, based on his physical attributes, ought to be much better than it is. If he can get that nailed down he has a chance to flourish on this team and in the NBA otherwise he's going to join the myriad with never realized potential. IMO, of course.

 

[haverford]

Barbosa did not perform well at PG last year and there have been some indications that he will be used at SG this year. IMO, the coaches have been slow figuring out he's not a PG for this team, especially since the responsibility of playing PG seemed to toy with his mind last year - compared to his rookie year. The competition will be stiffer at SG ergo less minutes - based on his last year's form, particularly in the playoffs.

If somehow he returns from the offseason playing a notch above his rookie year, he could earn more PT. Hopefully, he and the coaches will work intensively on his D, which, based on his physical attributes, ought to be much better than it is. If he can get that nailed down he has a chance to flourish on this team and in the NBA otherwise he's going to join the myriad with never realized potential. IMO, of course.

Thanks, and I guess I agree with it so far as it goes--I saw Barbosa plenty last year, for good and bad. What I'm getting at is, what makes us so sure that Diaw, Jones, et al relegate him to the far reaches of the bench? Are they clearly so much superior?