[Dallas Morning News] Nash on Finley: A 'great fit' for Phoenix

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Nash on Finley: A 'great fit' for Phoenix

Veteran forward coming to grips that he's likely out of Dallas


11:06 PM CDT on Monday, July 18, 2005


By EDDIE SEFKO / The Dallas Morning News



TROPHY CLUB – Almost everybody talked about Michael Finley in the past tense Monday. But a certain former teammate was more than willing to present a here-and-now offer that may be tempting when Finley officially becomes an ex-Maverick, likely later this week.

Steve Nash said Finley would be a "great fit" for the Phoenix Suns, creating the possibility that two-thirds of the Mavericks' former Big Three could end up together again.

"It is strange to think of Mike not playing for Dallas," Nash said. "I think it would be a great fit for us. It would make us such a deep team."



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A good portion of the NBA family was on hand at the Finley & Friends charity tournament at the Trophy Club. The event benefited the Make-A-Wish Foundation.

Finley's agent, Henry Thomas, said more than 10 teams have shown an interest in acquiring Finley, were he to be waived by the Mavericks under terms of the amnesty clause in the new collective bargaining agreement. Doing so would save owner Mark Cuban perhaps $51 million in luxury taxes over the next three seasons.

"If it happens, it happens," Finley said. "If it doesn't, it doesn't. I'm fine. I don't lose sleep over it. My life goes on. It's a business."

The big question Monday was whether the Mavericks would be making a mistake by letting another major piece of the franchise escape, perhaps for nothing, although the chance of a trade remains.

"I don't question any decisions that they make," Finley said. "I live my life for me and my family and go from there."

Thomas, also the agent for Mavericks guard Devin Harris, said Finley is coming to grips with the idea that he's played his last game for Dallas. But Thomas did not want to touch the issue of whether it's a mistake on the part of Cuban and coach Avery Johnson.

"Time will tell on that," Thomas said. "Mike feels he has a lot of basketball left in him. He's been sort of the anchor of this franchise for a long time. He's got a lot of ties here, has enjoyed his stay here. And if things work out and he could stay here, he'd be happy with that.

"But he's certainly come to grips with the fact that it could actually happen. And he's begun to think about the options should it happen."

Thomas said a trade could be a possibility but indicated that teams are more likely to wait until players are waived under the amnesty rule, thus becoming available for no compensation to those players' former teams.

Johnson said he is holding out hope that a solution to keep Finley in Dallas can be found. But he acknowledged that a departure could be inevitable.

"It's not a good thought for me as a coach," Johnson said. "It's not a good thought for our organization.

"A lot of times, when Michael Finley didn't play well, people were calling in for his head. Now, if there's a possibility of him not being in uniform, then everybody wants to cry. Sometimes, people don't know what they really want."

Briefly: Devin Harris said the slight separation in his right shoulder has improved. He expects to be 100 percent in two weeks, when he can begin full-contact workouts.

E-mail esefko@dallasnews.com

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