When I think back to the days of Michael Finley in his prime with the Dallas Mavericks, I think of one of the most lethal perimeter scoring threats in the league. At the time, he was a mix of Ray Allen’s shooting ability, and the hops and quickness of a Nate Robinson. There is a reason I am comparing Finley in his prime to two current players on the Boston Celtics, it’s called foreshadowing. Of course it’s been many years since Finley has been considered one of the top perimeter scorers in the league, but even now that he’s been slowed somewhat by age, he still can knock down the long ball if given an open look, and he still is a veteran that every contending team would love to have on their team come playoff time in pressure situations. He remains a steady hand.
News broke yesterday that the Boston Celtics were considering signing veteran Michael Finley after he was bought out and released recently by the San Antonio Spurs. Well today it seems that there was substance to the rumors yesterday as Finley has now announced that he and the Celtics have agreed in principle on a deal that would bring the veteran guard onto their roster just in time for the home stretch of the season and playoffs.
“It’s official now,” Finley told ESPN.com after verbally committing to Boston. “I’m soon to be a Celtic.”
Finley, who turns 37 Saturday, requested and received a buyout from the San Antonio Spurs earlier this week, freeing him to sign with a title contender while maintaining his playoff eligibility.
He will receive a prorated portion of the veteran’s miniumum ($1.1 million) and will make his debut Sunday against the Wizards, the Boston Globe reported.
Finley’s stats have dipped dramatically this season (3.7 points, 1.5 rebounds, 0.8 assists over 15.8 minutes per game), but he’s regarded as one of the best locker room presences in the league, and he boasts 111 games of playoff experience, winning a championship with the Spurs in 2007.
Michael Finley’s production and playing time with San Antonio were down considerably this season, which led to the Spurs releasing him earlier this week. For his career, Finley is a 37.4 percent 3-point shooter (though he’s only shot 31.7 percent from beyond the arc this season), and he has the potential to give the Celtics another perimeter threat after moving Eddie House at the trade deadline. {ESPN}
What do you think of the Finley signing by the Celtics? Does this create a logjam in the backcourt or does fill the gap left by the trade of Eddie House to the New York Knicks for Nate Robinson?
