FWST Notebook: Fin, TAW

[MavsFanFinley]

Finley to undergo surgery

By Art Garcia
Star-Telegram Staff Writer

Mavericks guard Michael Finley is scheduled to have the first substantial surgery of his career Friday on his right ankle, team officials said.

Finley injured the ankle in November and said he played with a loose bone chip after returning to the lineup in December. Finley said last week that surgery was probable and estimated the recovery period at four to six weeks.

The 10-year veteran scored 15.7 points per game during the regular season, his lowest average in a Mavs uniform. Finley was traded to the Mavs from Phoenix during the 1996-97 season.

Finley missed a career-high 18 games during the season. After not missing a game his first six seasons, Finley has been sidelined for 54 games the last four seasons.

"The iron man finally goes under the knife," president of basketball operations Donnie Nelson said.

Buyout likely

The Mavs are negotiating a buyout of the last two years of Tariq Abdul-Wahad's contract, though a trade remains a possibility. The perpetually injured forward is on the books for $15.2 million, however only $5.6 million is guaranteed.

The Mavs are reluctant to add salary in any trade unless it leads to a significant improvement. Abdul-Wahad has spent little time with the team the past two seasons and has repeatedly criticized the organization on his Web site.

[LRB]

Abdul-Wahad has spent little time with the team the past two seasons and has repeatedly criticized the organization on his Web site.

The Mavs should fine his sorry @$$ every time he publicly criticizes them. I'd be fired for having a personal website that criticized my company and so would most other people. I'm all for free speech, but I'm against paying someone to publicly criticize your organization.

[jayC]

Especially for a guy that gets paid to do nothing. This guy is a big dissapointment. He has great athletisism, but the dude has no heart.

[ocelot_ark]

Should we expect more from the French?

[chumdawg]

I'm sure that part of the reason the Mavs have been willing to keep the Frenchman on the team for so long is that at some point he could be quite the tradeable asset, especially if insurance is paying for the bulk of his salary. This summer may just be that time.

[Rhylan]

If I recall last summer's sniping correctly, TAW wouldn't agree to a buyout at that time.

[dirno2000]

Exactly...we've been trying to buy him out for two years, but buyouts are for guys who have a little pride and actually want to play somewhere...

[The Miles]

Man, I don't get a buyout. He has a great deal to trade, we should move him for one of the Knicks 3 year backup PFs (for us they would be); Kurt Thomas, Malik Rose, or Jerome Williams (2 + TO).

[LRB]

Why on earth would the knicks want TAW. The Man hasn't played in the League for over 2 years and the 2 years prior to that he only played 38 games total. That's 38 freaking games in 4 years. He's the poster child of washed up. It's not like he's young or anything. There is not enough crack on the east coast for Isaiah Thomas to smoke inorder for him to trade anything worth more than a dried up dog turd for TAW. I seriously doubt anyone is looking to fill out their injured list.

Unless TAW can somehow manage to provide cap relief, I don't see anything of value he could add.

[The Miles]

That is exactly what he adds. The Knicks have 50% of their cap expiring in 2 years, this would just bump that number up. If they are serious about getting in on the LeBron Sweepstakes, which all indications show that they are, then they benefit from dumping a 3 year player for a 2 year TAW. It is the same principle that you fail to understand with the Finley/Biran Grant trade, we do that because it knocks a year off of Fins contract slot, from 3 year MAX (3 years $52,000,000 for Fin) to 2 years MAX (2 years around $30,000,000) for Grant

That gets Dallas a year earlier towards being able to use that slot to add talent. It saves Cuban $20,000,000, so he can be more generous with Josh Howard when he has to extend him in the next couple of years. As it is, because of Finley, we can't flip Van Horn because he owes Finley over 50 mill. He simply can't add payroll in Van Horns slot, due to Finley. So trade Finley for a less years, ie Fin for Grant, and it opens up so many things.

I get that you guys are FInley fans, that is fine, go Finley go! But I am a Dallas Mavericks fan and I want the Dallas Mavericks to win ASAP and that won't happen while Finley has this strangehold on the Mavs financial flexibility. That is why trading Finley for Brian Grant is a good idea but like many said, the Lakers wouldn't do it, so i don't know why we are even arguing it.

As for TAW, it is all about cap flexibility, it would help the Knicks out and save them some serious cash in the process. If they plan on going for LeBron James then this is type of move they need to be making.

[SaintofKillers]

ahahaha can someone post the translated text on his webpage again? It's always good for a few laughs.

[aexchange]

Originally posted by: The Miles
I get that you guys are FInley fans, that is fine, go Finley go! But I am a Dallas Mavericks fan and I want the Dallas Mavericks to win ASAP and that won't happen while Finley has this strangehold on the Mavs financial flexibility. That is why trading Finley for Brian Grant is a good idea but like many said, the Lakers wouldn't do it, so i don't know why we are even arguing it.

Out of all the stupid things I've read lately on this discussion board, and trust me I've read plenty of stupid things lately. This may be perhaps the dumbest thing I've ever read on a discussion board. Cuban has said repeatedly that he wants to see what will happen with the new CBA before he makes any moves. Speculating that Finley is the reason the Mavs have financial inflexibility is A) wrong and b) stupid.

If you really wanted the Mavs to win ASAP, it isn't going to happen by trading Finley for a complete spare like Brian Grant. When you make a ludicrous suggestion like that, it really shows how much you hate Finley rather than accept him for what he is. Finley is still a top 15 SG in this league regardless of what you think, and he's still a very nice player to have. I don't even think Brian Grant is a top 40 PF these days. If anything is accomplished by trading Finley for Grant, its setting this franchise back another season or two. That isn't winning ASAP.

[Drbio]

Originally posted by: ocelot_ark
Should we expect more from the French?

Oh come on. That's hardly fair. They are very good at dropping rifles and running backwards.

[bo319]

Originally posted by: aexchange

Out of all the stupid things I've read lately on this discussion board, and trust me I've read plenty of stupid things lately. This may be perhaps the dumbest thing I've ever read on a discussion board. Cuban has said repeatedly that he wants to see what will happen with the new CBA before he makes any moves. Speculating that Finley is the reason the Mavs have financial inflexibility is A) wrong and b) stupid.

If you really wanted the Mavs to win ASAP, it isn't going to happen by trading Finley for a complete spare like Brian Grant. When you make a ludicrous suggestion like that, it really shows how much you hate Finley rather than accept him for what he is. Finley is still a top 15 SG in this league regardless of what you think, and he's still a very nice player to have. I don't even think Brian Grant is a top 40 PF these days. If anything is accomplished by trading Finley for Grant, its setting this franchise back another season or two. That isn't winning ASAP.

Very well said Aex...BRAVO!