http://www.dfw.com/mld/dfw/sports/basketball/nba/dallas_mavericks/12234144.htm
If Finley leaves, Mavs hope it's by trade
[size=-1]By ART GARCIA[/size]
[size=-1]STAR-TELEGRAM STAFF WRITER[/size]
If the Mavericks so choose, they can release Michael Finley as early as next week.
They won't. While Finley's departure remains academic, don't bet on it coming by way of the "amnesty" clause in the NBA's new collective bargaining agreement, which is expected to be approved early next week. Trading the longest-tenured Maverick has become the preferred vehicle of exit.
And it may prove to be the only one.
The Mavs have at least one deal on the table for Finley, possibly with Orlando, that satisfies Mark Cuban's requirement of receiving expiring contracts in return. The Mavs will continue to pursue a trade and could easily wait until the eve of training camp before deciding Finley's fate.
Even if the Mavs don't receive a better offer, the team is leaning strongly against making Finley a free agent through the amnesty clause. No one in the Mavs front office wants to see Finley sign with a Western Conference rival, such as Phoenix with Steve Nash, Denver, San Antonio or Houston.
Don't count on Finley's situation being settled for at least two months.
As for next week, teams can also begin signing free agents, and the Mavs are in the running for center Steven Hunter. The 7-footer spent last season with Phoenix after three years in Orlando.
Adding an athletic body to the frontcourt is an area the Mavs want to address. Hunter's agent, Mark Bartelstein, said several teams, including the Mavs, are pursuing the 24-year-old, who averaged 4.6 points and 3.0 rebounds with the Suns.
"We're having a number of conversations, and we'll see what happens," Bartelstein said. "There's a lot of interest in him."
The Mavs will decide whether to spend the $5 million exception on one player, divide it among two or more, or stand relatively pat. Hunter isn't expected to command the full exception.
The Mavs also are searching for a perimeter shooter in the backcourt. Free agent point guard Darrell Armstrong could return as Jason Terry's backup.
"We want to find guys that bring a certain level of dominance to their position," president of basketball operations Donnie Nelson said. "We're still sorting through a lot of scenarios."
Many have to do with Finley. A potential holdup in the trade now being offered is the lack of quality players the Mavs would receive. If the deal is executed, the Mavs would probably cut most, if not all, of the players coming back.
Orlando, Houston, Indiana and Chicago have the necessary contracts to make such a deal work, although the Magic appear to be in the best financial shape to acquire the former two-time All-Star. Finley is also a native of Chicago.
Orlando could be well under the cap for the last two years of Finley's contract, making it easier to absorb his salary. Players the Magic could package include Doug Christie, Tony Battie, Stacey Augmon and Mario Kasun.
The Mavs prefer any deal involving Finley salvage at least one usable player. The team hopes to get a better offer before the Oct. 1 cutoff date to release players under the amnesty clause.
Though his production has fallen off in recent seasons, Finley's impending exit has more to do with money than basketball, because the new labor agreement will allow teams to waive one player to avoid paying the luxury tax. Once the CBA goes into effect, the luxury tax threshold should be about $60 million. Teams pay a dollar-for-dollar penalty on payrolls over that amount.
The Mavs would save up to $51.8 million in luxury tax payments over the next three years by waiving Finley. The team, however, would be responsible for paying the same amount on his contract, with his salary counting against the salary cap (but not the luxury tax threshold) through 2007-08.
Obtaining expiring contracts within 25 percent (plus $100,000) of Finley's $15.9 contract for this season provides substantial bottom-line savings and increased payroll flexibility in the future.
The most the Mavs can take back for Finley is about $20 million in contracts for this season. Paying luxury tax on those deals would mean a one-year outlay of up to $40 million.
Finley would cost the Mavs about $32 million for this season alone if he stayed and nearly $104 million over the next three years.
Besides the $40 million being considerably less than what Finley would cost, the Mavs would have his contract off the books for the next two years. Throw in the expiring contracts of Terry and Keith Van Horn, and the Mavs' payroll drops near the luxury tax threshold for 2006-07. The current payroll is $95 million.
Being in the vicinity of the threshold allows Cuban more breathing room to retain Terry and/or Van Horn, sign other free agents and make trades. Trading Finley would also allow the Mavs to use the amnesty clause on another player, such as Tariq Abdul-Wahad or Shawn Bradley
