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Finley could be had cheap by Miami...Could Houston have a chance?

Discussion in 'Houston Rockets: Game Action & Roster Moves' started by Hakeem06, Aug 11, 2005.

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  1. Hakeem06

    Hakeem06 Member

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    Hawks holding up the works
    JJ quagmire affects other Suns moves

    Paul Coro
    The Arizona Republic
    Aug. 11, 2005 12:00 AM

    Welcome to Day 42 of Joe Johnson's free-agency escapade, a longer-than-expected journey that now affects much more than his future.

    NBA Commissioner David Stern did not make a ruling Wednesday on eight Atlanta Hawks owners' Tuesday request to remove dissident ninth partner, Steve Belkin, as the team's NBA governor. There are hopes that a ruling may come midday today and an expectation that Stern will render a decision by Friday.

    The sign-and-trade deal involving Johnson's move to Atlanta, which Belkin is blocking with his power as governor, is freezing related moves across the league. If it drags on too long, it will overlap the Monday deadline for amnesty-rule releases and possibly affect Phoenix's chances of wooing Dallas guard Michael Finley to help replace Johnson.
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    The Mavericks may release Finley under the one-time amnesty waiver opportunity, which frees Dallas of any luxury-tax liability incurred by Finley's remaining $51.8 million of salary over the next three years. Phoenix may have a bigger problem than the timing of the Johnson ordeal because industry insiders believe Finley is bound for Miami either way.

    Despite all of its recent acquisitions, Miami still has its $5 million midlevel exception available to offer a free agent - and Finley has the same agent (Henry Thomas) as Dwyane Wade. Even though the amnesty rule mandates that Finley will get all of the $51.8 million owed him from Dallas, he may be motivated to take a Miami exception offer because about $30 million of his money is deferred if he is waived. Miami does not have a good friend (Steve Nash), a starting job or the familiarity of a former team such as Phoenix but the chance at a title is apparent.

    Finley would not stand to make an extra $5 million. There is an offset involved that would actually mean Finley would be limited to an extra $2.82 million if he signed for the midlevel exception.

    Any prolonged limbo with the Johnson trade may not affect Phoenix's chances at Finley if he takes in the wooing and makes recruiting visits like another amnesty player, Derek Anderson, has done. Dallas could also keep Finley and use the amnesty waiver on another player such as Shawn Bradley to avoid helping Western Conference rivals San Antonio or Phoenix.

    Phoenix's contract term agreements with free agents Scott Padgett, a forward who played in Houston last season, and Pat Burke, a center who played in Spain, are also being prevented from finalization because of the trade's holdup. Free-agent center Steven Hunter's decision is also affected because of Atlanta's interest in him. Philadelphia and Dallas also have shown interest in Hunter, who is considering Phoenix's offer to return for the $1.6 million bi-annual exception with an ability to re-explore free agency next July.

    "I think we'll get a better feel in the next day or two," Hunter's agent, Mark Bartelstein, said.
    -----
    If Miami could land Finley for so little, I think Houston should make a serious push for him because I believe he would play a much bigger role for us with more minutes for a team I believe is better in Houston.
     
    #1 Hakeem06, Aug 11, 2005
  2. Desert Scar

    Desert Scar Member

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    Miami has more money (starting at 5 mil to 1.6).

    Miami would be the favorites for the title bar none with Finley. (we would be among the favorites with Finley, but still probably no more than co-favs in the West with the Spurs)

    Miami can also probably offer a starting spot for him (either SG with Wade at the 1, or at SF in front of Posey with Walker or Haslem at the 4).

    Our chance at Finley is extremely remote. No hard feelings, even if Finley was an option Swift was the better choice with our MLE by need and by age.
     
    #2 Desert Scar, Aug 11, 2005
  3. Willis25

    Willis25 Member

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    I am still waiting on the Brant Grant and Rafer Alston threads ...

    :rolleyes: :p
     
    #3 Willis25, Aug 11, 2005
  4. micah1j

    micah1j Member

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    What part of Miami signing Finley with their entire MLE is cheap? What part of the Rockets signing Swift with the MLE did you forget? :p
     
    #4 micah1j, Aug 11, 2005
  5. Hakeem06

    Hakeem06 Member

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    considering he could still go out there and get $8 mil. a year, despite his age, a MLE is pretty damn cheap. he's the type of player we need on the perimeter. so i believe we should look at finley.
     
    #5 Hakeem06, Aug 11, 2005
  6. dharocks

    dharocks Member

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    We don't have the MLE.
     
    #6 dharocks, Aug 11, 2005
  7. Hakeem06

    Hakeem06 Member

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    i know, we used it on swift. but i'm sure we could find a way to come up with similar money considering he's still getting $50 mil. from Dallas.
     
    #7 Hakeem06, Aug 11, 2005
  8. room4rentsf

    room4rentsf Member

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    I hope he wants to stay in Texas and takes our LLE..

    J
     
    #8 room4rentsf, Aug 11, 2005
  9. Willis25

    Willis25 Member

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    no, we can't - we would have to be under the cap (we are closer to the luxury tax threshold) - the only way to do that is to trade away all our garbage players for trade exceptions (not players)...
     
    #9 Willis25, Aug 11, 2005
  10. thewaterox

    thewaterox Member

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    If we can't get him I'd rather see Finley in the east than with the Spurs or another WC team. If we have to go up against him again it will be in the NBA Finals. :cool:
     
    #10 thewaterox, Aug 11, 2005
  11. dharocks

    dharocks Member

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    How do you propose we go about doing that?

    To answer the orginal question in your thread, if Finley is looking for MLE-type money, no, Houston does not have a chance at getting him.
     
    #11 dharocks, Aug 11, 2005
  12. GladiatoRowdy

    GladiatoRowdy Member

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    Unless someone else signs him and trades him ot us, if they covet one of our players. But who would sign Finley only to trade him away?
     
    #12 GladiatoRowdy, Aug 11, 2005
  13. dharocks

    dharocks Member

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    We'd certainly need to give up more than an expiring contract to get him. Nobody would essentially trade their MLE for an expiring contract of the same value. And nobody would want a guy like Wesley when they could just hold on to Finley as it is.

    And I'm not sure if you can sign & trade another team's player... Though I'm not sure what would prevent a team from doing so (other than common sense).
     
    #13 dharocks, Aug 11, 2005
  14. Desert Scar

    Desert Scar Member

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    You cannot sign and trade another teams FA.

    We don't have an MLE.

    All we can possibly offer a lux tax amenesty causalty like Finley, Houston, Anderson, or Grant is our last exemption, the LLE, which goes to a max of about 1.7 for 1 year or about 3.5 mil for 2 years.

    It doesn't matter if we had a big trade exception (which we don't have, we only have small ones), expiring contracts (which we do have in abundence), no matter how creative our accountants tried to be, since we don't have his rights and nor does any other league team once he is waived the above (LLE/1.7mil) is as high as we can legally offer.
     
    #14 Desert Scar, Aug 11, 2005
  15. lil-vic

    lil-vic Member

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    rafer got cut? if he did, sign him up!
     
    #15 lil-vic, Aug 11, 2005
  16. coolweather

    coolweather Contributing Member

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    Finley is the last piece of the puzzle... we should get him.
     
    #16 coolweather, Aug 11, 2005
  17. leehoang

    leehoang Member

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    I wouldn't say the last piece, but yeah I really hope someway somehow we get Finley.

    I still think we need a real PG, before getting a SG.
     
    #17 leehoang, Aug 11, 2005
  18. Hard Rock

    Hard Rock Member

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    If the Heats offer MLE we have no shot at Finley, period. Doug Christie might be had for cheap though; he's hoping a 1 year $3 millions deal from the Mavs, if rejected we might try offering our LLE ($3.5M over 2yrs). Christie could be more valuable than Wesley in the playoffs when we facing big guards like Stackhouse, Ginobli, Finley, Hamilton, Miller, Allen, .....
     
    #18 Hard Rock, Aug 11, 2005
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