Finley Article - Dallas-Mavs.com Forums

MavsFanFinley · 02-25-2002, 05:31 PM

Anyone else see something wrong with this article or am I reading too much into it?

Trade weight finally off Finley's shoulders
Constant speculation made life 'difficult' for veteran guard

02/25/2002

By MARC STEIN / The Dallas Morning News

The phone has stopped ringing, for Mark Cuban and Michael Finley. The Mavericks beat Thursday's deadline with their annual blockbuster trade, and Finley, to his relief, wasn't in it.

On Sunday, Finley insisted he wasn't as close to leaving Dallas as leaguewide trade tattle suggested. But the senior Maverick also acknowledged it was "difficult" hearing constant speculation – and that he knows he's playing for an owner who will "keep shuffling the deck until we get the perfect hand."

"I was strong enough to get past it," Finley said. "It was difficult more so for all my family and friends, reading and hearing it on the news. Every phone call wasn't about the team, it was about me getting traded. So when I tried to avoid the situation, I couldn't get away from it.

"But I feel as if it really came down to it, if they were seriously thinking about getting rid of me, I think Mark and [Don Nelson] are man enough to confront me. The fact they didn't mention anything to me, and continued to treat me the same, I don't think anything was close to going down."

The speculation started when the Mavericks responded to the first extended injury absence of Finley's career with a 12-1 record, albeit mostly against lesser opposition. Dallas is 7-5 since Finley's return, with the two-time All-Star admittedly playing "just OK" in that stretch, averaging 16.6 points on 41.8-percent shooting.

Finley's coach offered a quick "no" when asked if Finley is improving. "But he will," Nelson said. "He's been a little indecisive. He's not playing where he needs to be, but he'll get better."

Nelson added that he has no plans to sit down with Finley to dispel any of the speculation, saying "everyone's name gets tossed around in the papers eventually." Nelson's focus is restoring Finley to full capacity while blending in newcomers Raef LaFrentz and Nick Van Exel.

Finley, meanwhile, just seems pleased to be talking about something else, even if it is shooting struggles.

"I guess it's good for me not to be peaking right now," he said. "When I first came back it was kind of a mental thing, because I didn't want to get hurt any more. I was thinking more about missing the shot than making the shot. Now I'm just going out there and playing."

Without the threat of being dealt.

"Until summer," Finley said with a grin.

turbo.mav · 02-25-2002, 05:56 PM

i read that this morning and i could tell something definitely wansnt finley-like

Murphy3 · 02-25-2002, 06:37 PM

the way the article is written..it sounds like he's a bit down.
well, i guess i can see it..with all that has happened, all of the trade rumors etc..
and going from the best player on the team to the third best..with two other guys that are right there behind him.. it has to be tough

MavsFanFinley · 02-25-2002, 09:15 PM

Yeah, Im sure he is bummed, but I disagree with JoeJoe about him wanting out this summer. I can't fathom that he wants out of Dallas at all.

While I think he's bummed, Im sure he understands that this team is better by the trade and has moved on. Im also pretty sure that it has to do with the guys being dealt to crappy teams, not traded in general.

But, back to my point. I do have one. [img]i/expressions/face-icon-small-smile.gif[/img]

The thing I found wrong is that he seems like he's waiting to be traded himself now. He's glad it's over for now, but smile or no smile, he must be dreading summer.

Epitome22 · 02-25-2002, 09:45 PM

Yah, it seems as if Finley has been pushed to the side. I wouldn't be surprised to see him moved in the offseason. As for Nellie and Cuban confronting him about their efforts to trade him, they certainly didn't do the same with Hardaway or Howard, what makes him think he'll do the same with him? And did anyone catch this quote at Dallasbasketball.com?

Nellie on the difference between Nash and Van Exel: ?Steve, when he drives, sometimes gets lost in the trees. Nick always seems to get a good shot off. ? He?s a special player, really one of the best talents in the league.??

<< [i]

Perhaps I'm reading too much into that quote but does anyone else get the inkling of the possibility that he might end up moving Nash instead of Van Exel in the off season?

The Maverick corporate machine rears it's ugly head more and more by the minute.

Murphy3 · 02-25-2002, 09:48 PM

as far as i know, you are reading too much into the article.
Nellie will fall in love with having two point guards...both of which can play the two guard as well

TheKid · 02-26-2002, 09:17 AM

Also Epitome, Nellie didn't see Howard or Hardaway people that he owed anything too either. That's why he didn't go to them before he traded them.

Murphy3 · 02-26-2002, 11:06 AM

excuse me, juwan..we don't like your sorry a*s, but..do you mind if we trade you?

MavsFanFinley · 02-26-2002, 02:35 PM

Murph, you get worse everyday. [img]i/expressions/face-icon-small-happy.gif[/img]

If I didn't know you better, I better you had a 6-pack in celebration of Howard's departure. [img]i/expressions/face-icon-small-smile.gif[/img]

I just didn't like the attitude of Finley. Like he's waiting for Nelson or Cuban to call him this summer and say that he's been traded.

Oh well...we have a hell of season to finish out here first.