Timberwolves Rumors: Williams, Finley, Roy
The Timberwolves got an unexpected lift on Wednesday when Kevin Love returned earlier than anticipated from the broken hand that had sidelined him for the last few weeks. Although reports suggested Love wouldn't be back until December, he looked to be in midseason form in his debut, racking up 34 points and 14 rebounds against the Nuggets. It wasn't enough to propel the T-Wolves to victory, but the team will get another shot to get its first win with Love on the court tonight vs. the Trail Blazers. In the meantime, here are a few rumblings out of Minnesota:
- Derrick Williams tells Jerry Zgoda of the Star Tribune (Twitter link) that he was preparing to become a Trail Blazer this summer when rumors involving a Nicolas Batum sign-and-trade were swirling. Asked if he was just listening to speculation or if he had inside info, Williams replied, "I guess you could say inside information" (Twitter link).
- With Michael Finley attempting to make an NBA comeback, the Wolves received a call from Finley's camp, but said no thanks, tweets Darren Wolfson of 1500 ESPN Twin Cities.
- Brandon Roy's future is still to be determined, tweets Wolfson, who says the idea of possible retirement came up when Roy spoke to GM David Kahn last Friday.
- Earlier this afternoon, we heard that the Timberwolves briefly signed Demetris Nichols and Troy Hudson before the season in order to hang onto the duo's D-League rights. Both players are now on the roster for the Sioux Falls Skyforce, Minnesota's D-League affiliate.
Michael Finley Attempting NBA Comeback
Michael Finley's playing career seemed to be over this summer when, having not played in the NBA since the 2009/10 season, the longtime Maverick accepted a job in the Dallas front office. However, Finley will put his career as an NBA executive on hold as he attempts to make a comeback on the court, reports ESPN.com's Marc Stein.
According to Stein, Finley participated in NBA pickup games all summer and continues to work out frequently, attempting to earn one more contract as an NBA player before transitioning into a front office job. Stein adds that the Mavs were set to invite Finley to training camp on a non-guaranteed contract before the 39-year-old suffered a calf injury. Finley is healthy now, and agent Henry Thomas is looking to secure him a deal with an NBA team as a bench shooter and a mentor to young players.
Finley poured in more than 17,000 points in his NBA career, averaging 15.7 PPG in 1103 career contests. However, his production and playing time fell off significantly during his final season with the Spurs and Celtics. In 46 games in 2009/10, Finley recorded 4.4 PPG and a 9.0 PER, both career-lows.
Mavericks Notes: Najera, Finley, Mayo
Two former Mavericks players and fan favorites will be a part of the Mavs' front office this season, as the team announced last week. Earl K. Sneed of Mavs.com examines the additions of Michael Finley and Eduardo Najera to the Mavs' staff, noting that owner Mark Cuban already feels like Finley has been a "great add" for the club. Let's round up a few more of today's Mavs-related links, as the team's season inches ever closer….
- The Mavericks aren't quite sure what to expect from O.J. Mayo, Sneed writes at Mavs.com, but judging by Cuban's recent comments on ESPN Radio 103.3's Ben and Skin Show, the team believes Mayo can thrive in the team's open offense.
- It's been a wild offseason in Dallas, but Jeff Caplan of ESPNDallas.com doesn't expect the regular season to be any calmer, warning Mavs fans to expect trade rumors and speculation until the February trade deadline.
- In another piece for ESPN Dallas, Caplan says the new-look Mavs should take the ball to the rim more often than last year's squad did.
Michael Finley Joins Mavericks’ Front Office
Michael Finley never formally announced his retirement as an NBA player, and was still working out for teams as recently as earlier this year. However, it appears his playing days are over. The Mavericks announced today at Eduardo Najera's introductory press conference that Finley has also joined the team's front office (Twitter link via Marc Stein of ESPN.com).
Finley doesn't yet have an official title with the Mavs, but GM Donnie Nelson suggested at today's presser that owner Mark Cuban isn't "big on titles" (Twitter link via Stein). Earl K. Sneed of Mavs.com tweets that Finley and Najera figure to have similar roles — while Finley obviously won't be coaching the D-League's Texas Legends like Najera is, it sounds as if both former Mavs will assist in making basketball decisions. Najera and Finley will be part of Dallas' draft-day decision-making as well, tweets Dwain Price of the Fort Worth Star-Telegram.
In Finley's 15-year playing career, he racked up over 17,300 career points for the Suns, Mavericks, Spurs, and Celtics. He played in 129 postseason games, winning a title with the Spurs in 2007, and earned over $138MM over the course of his career, according to Basketball-Reference.
Current Free Agents With Playoff Experience
With many playoff contenders plagued by health issues, including injuries to a handful of superstars, some teams may be thinking about adding an extra body for the postseason. There are plenty of young players available in the D-League, but for a club in need of one extra piece, a veteran with playoff experience may be the preferred candidate.
Listed below are a few free agents with extensive playoff experience who would still be eligible for the postseason if they signed with an NBA team today. Many of these players have been out of the league this season and are hardly sure bets to pick up where they left off, but for clubs with depth issues, they could be worth at least a look.
- Rasual Butler: The Raptors waived Butler last month in advance of the buyout deadline to allow him to catch on with a playoff team. Although the Bulls were thought to have some interest, Butler still hasn't landed another NBA job. The veteran forward has played in 30 postseason contests, including a handful with Chicago last season.
- Michael Finley: Having been out of the NBA since 2010, the 39-year-old Finley is probably a long shot to contribute much to a playoff team. But he was still working out for NBA squads this season, and has 129 career postseason games on his resumé. Finley appeared in the playoffs in 10 straight seasons from 2001 to 2010, averaging 11.8 PPG.
- Eddie House: The sharpshooter has appeared in 66 postseason games, with a good chunk of them coming for the 2008 champion Boston Celtics. House shot 42.6% from downtown in 35 playoff games in 2008 and 2009 for Boston. Last season, House was on the Heat's playoff roster, though his role and impact were reduced in Miami.
- Allen Iverson: Iverson racked up over 3,200 minutes played in 71 career playoff games, which included a run to the Finals with the 2000/01 76ers. Iverson has averaged a staggering 29.7 PPG in the postseason, including 24.5 PPG in his most recent playoff appearance, in 2008 with the Nuggets. We know AI still wants to play in the NBA, but it's probably too late in the season for any team to risk the sideshow that could accompany signing the former MVP.
- James Posey: After being amnestied by the Pacers prior to the season, Posey has yet to catch on anywhere, which is a little surprising. While his production had fallen off over the last two seasons, the forward still provides veteran leadership, having played in 65 postseason games in his career. Like House, Posey played a crucial role in the 2008 playoffs for the Celtics, averaging 22.0 minutes in 26 games for the eventual NBA champions.
- Joe Smith: The 36-year-old has appeared in 62 career playoff games, including brief action in five games for the Lakers last year. Still, Smith hasn't been a useful part-time contributor since the 2008/09 season, so it's questionable whether he has much left to offer a contender.
- Jarron Collins, Devean George, Morris Peterson, and Etan Thomas are among the other veteran free agents with multiple seasons of playoff experience.
Pacific Notes: Ellis, Kings, Suns, Williams, Blake
Seattle mayor Mike McGinn is reportedly set to unveil details of Christopher Hansen's proposal for a new sports arena later this afternoon. However, while Seattle is making strides toward returning to the NBA, it will likely need to relocate another franchise to do so. The Kings are the most likely candidates to be relocated, so let's check in on the progress on Sacramento's new arena, along with some other notes out of the Pacific….
- The Suns hosted a free agent work out today, with Michael Finley and Jermaine Taylor in attendance, says Alex Kennedy of HoopsWorld (via Twitter).
- It has become clear that Monta Ellis is expendable in Golden State, writes Monte Poole of the Bay Area News Group. Poole says that rookie guard Klay Thompson has been getting more playing time as it becomes clear to the Warriors that they will continue to struggle if Ellis remains their best player.
- Sacramento is seeking a contribution of about $85MM toward a new arena from the Maloofs, according to a report from the Sacramento Bee. It's not yet known whether the NBA, negotiating on the Kings' behalf, will agree.
- Suns owner Robert Sarver and president of basketball operations Lon Babby are confident the team can become competitive again in the near future, writes Paola Boivin of the Arizona Republic. The team still doesn't plan to trade Steve Nash unless he asks out, and isn't interested in a full-scale "blow-up" since that process would mean not contending for several years.
- Reports last week suggested Mo Williams was unsatisfied with his role for the Clippers, but Williams told Bill Ingram of HoopsWorld that's not the case.
- Elliott Teaford of the Los Angeles Daily News wonders if the Lakers' point-guard issues could be solved in part by Steve Blake rather than a free agent signing or trade acquisition.