Finley?

[Ouchie-Z-Clown]

I know I said that the Phoenix Suns would not trade Q this early. I was wrong. I still say there is no way that they would trade Shawn Marion this summer, and they certainly aren't trading both Q and Marion this summer.

AsUdUdE, welcome to the messageboard. I think your first post was excellent. I don't think the Phoenix Suns want to start a small lineup again though. Here's why. They want to make their players happy, and I don't see Amare, Shawn Marion, or Joe Johnson happy playing a lot of small ball and losing out on more shot opportunities with Finley in the lineup. I think the coaches would probably love it. I agree that Finley is still a better player than Q. He might have struggled some last season (bone spurs, age, or both), but he was still a better shooter, better ball handler, and better defender than Q.

David Griffith (Phoenix Suns player personnel director I believe) was on Sports Tonight last night. Tom Zenner asked whether the trade was going to make Amare much happier because it would allow him to move back to his natural position of power forward. Griffiths implied that we would still see Amare at center when he said that Amare seemed most excited at the prospect of being a point center. I have no problem with that. I do, however, think the team still needs a true center off the bench who can come in and bang with some of the bigger middlemen in the NBA.

Without assigning position to anybody because there is so much versatility on this team...

36 - Amare Stoudemire
30 - Kurt Thomas
36 - Shawn Marion
38 - Joe Johnson
33 - Steve Nash

25 - Jim Jackson

That's 195 minutes leaving 240 minutes for anybody else. Now that may look like plenty of time for guys like Gary Payton and/or Michael Finley. I think they need to give at least 20 of it and maybe more to a big man free agent. That leaves 25 minutes per game. If you want your draft pick to play at all he's going to get at least 10 minutes per game. Of course that doesn't necessarily have to happen if they draft someone who they keep overseas or trade the pick altogether. Then a guy like Michael Finley makes some sense.

I think I liked the idea of having a strong nucleus with nice, good role players rather than Coach Mike sweating every game while he tries keep everybody happy with their minutes.

Joe Mama

joe, what kind of fancy math is that? your numbers add up to 198 mins accounted for and leave a grand total of 42 mins for anyone else.

 

[elindholm]

I kind of doubt Mutombo is going to leave Houston.

Right, me too. He's in a great situation there, because Yao still doesn't have the conditioning to play huge minutes, and does get in foul trouble from time to time, so Mutombo is sometimes called upon for a pretty major role. And while Houston wasn't as good as the Suns last year, I can guarantee you that their fans are convinced that they are only one or two key additions away from being serious contenders.

 

[asudevil83]

i say it would end up being something like:

30 - Nash
37 - JJ
35 - Marion
30 - Kurt
37 - Amare

18 - JJax
20 - Payton
23 - Finley

10 - Rookie

essentially here, Marion would be playing more minutes at the backup PF slot than his SF slot, which works out for the suns in their game.

now, this doesnt take into account injury.....which is bound to happen to any team. here, we have a SOLID backup at pretty much any position. if Amare (god forbit) were to go out for a few weeks.....it would move Kurt to the C, Marion to the PF, and Finley in at SF. then each player would see more minutes.

guys can also get "a night off" where a starter plays 20 some odd minutes, giving a bench player some more game time. it works out nice IMO.

i just dont think that we as suns fans would be all that used to having a QUALITY 8 man rotation, where every guy deserves the minutes he gets.

 

[Joe Mama]

joe, what kind of fancy math is that? your numbers add up to 198 mins accounted for and leave a grand total of 42 mins for anyone else.

lol

Obviously I was not completely awake when I did that math.

That left 42 minutes. Thanks.

it's not about money - it's about having one more guy on your team that bottom line - feels like he has anoose around his neck at the first sign of a close game. We've already got one of those, we just got rid of another - we don't need to replace him with the same. At least Shawn stepped up in the Dallas series - Finely has NEVER done that in the playoffs.

it certainly seems like it's been about the money for a large part over the last several seasons... not that I think the Phoenix Suns will do this.

Joe Mama

 

[Cheesebeef]

it certainly seems like it's been about the money for a large part over the last several seasons... not that I think the Phoenix Suns will do this.

Joe Mama

Joe - you're missing my point. I'm no talking about why the Suns wouldn't wnat Finley - I'm talking about why I don't want Finley on this team. He's a choke-player who fails to elevate his game in the playoffs. That's all I'm saying.

 

[Joe Mama]

Joe - you're missing my point. I'm no talking about why the Suns wouldn't wnat Finley - I'm talking about why I don't want Finley on this team. He's a choke-player who fails to elevate his game in the playoffs. That's all I'm saying.

got it.

Joe