I notice there is alot of rhetoric that Finley would not have immensily improved our chances and i really disagree. I am just as disappointed about Finley as I was about JJ and I loved JJ. In fact i wrote a post that i saved in Microsoft Word for if/when Finley signed with the suns (i know i know i have way too much free time at work.....) I'm going to post it as my take on why the Suns not having Finley is a pretty big loss. Feel free to pick this apart because im interested to here why Finley going to our rivals is not a big loss.....
DISCLAIMER: NOTICE THIS POST WAS WRITTEN IN ANTICIPATION OF FINLEY SIGNING WITH PHOENIX. BEFORE YOU JUMP DOWN MY THROAT I REALIZE HE SIGNED W/ THE SPURS AND I AM OVER IT. IT IS WATER UNDER THE BRIDGE....STILL WHAT COULD HAVE BEEN....
Why the Suns will win the Western Conference:
With the addition of Michael Finley, I no longer harbor any ill will towards Joe Johnson. Sure I will be disappointed if Joe turns into an elite two guard (although I feel his lack of athleticism and demeanor will hold him back) but really his leaving in the acrimonious way he did could be the best thing that ever happened to the Suns. Here’s why:
With Finley on-board, I fail to recognize a significant flaw in this team. Without him, I would have been the first to make the case that the Suns lack another primary scorer and three point shooter that would be able to help them duplicate last season success. I no longer feel that way. Finley will be hell bent on proving his doubters wrong and I look for him to be the second leading scorer on this team with an average in the 18’s. I say this because A) He knows Nash and he will go spot up for three on the break, knowing he will get an open look B) He has an excellent mid-range game that will only help Amare in the post C) The team needs someone else they can call plays for offensively. Any defense and leadership Mike adds will be icing on the cake.
So with Finley on board, another area of the team that is solidified besides the backcourt (with what now consists of an impressive group of wing players) is the bench, which becomes one of the best in the NBA now as well. I could make a case for Jim Jackson as 6th man of the year. He will be perfect in 30 minutes a game and will provide veteran leadership and accuracy from three. He can play the two or three and even possibly the one in a pinch. Raja Bell will be one of those players that we will look back on and say that was a significant addition even more so than we realized at the time. He is the type of player that does the dirty work and ultimately helps teams win championships. He is also accurate from three but his offense will be a complimentary when he takes the floor. Raja can defend the one, two, or three (and with Nash being a defensive liability, Bell can take on the lightning quick point guards that give us trouble) He will help against Manu, Kobe, Baron, Ray Allen, T-Mac, Bibby or Peja and numerous other Western Conference wings who traditionally light us up. This is a huge weapon coming off the bench and one that will be utilized in some games more than others. Brian Grant, if healthy will provide solid rebounding and interior toughness that was sorely lacking last year. He will back up KT and Amare and will surprise people with his tenacity, much like Alonzo did last year for the Heat. Burke will provide 7-10 minutes of a big body to wear on other teams big men.
Another unexpected coup from acquiring Finley is that we no longer have to count on unproven young players to contribute right away. Between Barbosa, Boris Diaw, and James Jones we have three players with good size and athleticism who could all potentially play big roles off the bench. We are developing young players for the future, while competing for a championship. Not many teams can make this claim unless Darko was unexpectedly becoming a god while practicing with the Pistons and we just don’t know it. I expect two of the three to have surprisingly good years and play at least some role. In fact if Diaw or Barbosa can develop into a decent back up for Nash, this team is literally 2 to 3 deep at every position.
Our front court is where we are much improved if only for the fact that Shawn and STAT are back at their natural positions. The beauty is that we can go to a small ball line up when want to run teams out of the gym, but now we have the option of going big against the likes of Indiana, Detroit, and San Antonio. We possibly have the best rebounding front line in basketball (if all players board at their norm) and defensively I like Marion on the perimeter, STAT floating around the paint, and KT as the last line of defense. I don’t think Parker and Manu will be careening down the lane for lay-ups anymore. Hopefully Thomas and Grant provide that grit we need. I expect Amare to develop into Duncan this year. That’s putting a lot on his shoulders but has anyone garnered any evidence to the contrary? Even if he maintains his numbers from last year, that would be enough, but I expect with all the work he is putting in, he will average a couple more points and boards (giving him like 28-12) but I think the biggest difference will be in his defense and passing. It says here that Amare develops that Duncan-Shaq like passing out of double teams that make those two the complete players they are. I see him handling the ball more as well, but I think that is likely to take place more in the open court than when the Suns are forced to play half court. I think Marion’s numbers will drop ( I think like 17 and 9) but he will be just as effective last year, esp. with his steals and perimeter defense. His rebounding from that position is ridiculous as well. Thomas doesn’t need to be spectacular, but 15 and 10 would be nice.
The Suns can run out three point shooting lineups (Nash, Bell, Finley, Jones/Jackson, and STAT) Defensive lineups (Diaw, Bell, Marion, STAT, KT) small ball lineups (Nash, Finley, Jackson, Marion, STAT) Big lineups (Diaw, Finley, Jones, STAT, KT) and can even put players together to play to their strengths (Diaw and Barbosa in the back court, Finley, Nash, and Bell for familiarity reason). We have a superstar player, a great leader and secondary star (Nash aka MVP), the best third player in the league (Marion) and a bevy of role players for every such situation. Besides Amare or Nash, the team is somewhat safe from injury, as many of the bench guys can capably fill starting roles. To top it off we also gained much needed playoff experience last year and we have the rest of that trade exception to use, should a need arise. With four draft picks in the next two years as well we can continue to reload and hopefully surround Amare with a great supporting cast for the rest of his career. It’s all up to Mike D’Antoni and his ability to keep everyone happy and juggle the lineups properly. I think we match up well with everybody and I think the 06 banner hanging from the roof in a year from now will prove me to be right.
