2011 is here, and with it comes Michael Finley's potential NBA comeback. Interviewed recently for ESPN.com, Finley reiterated that he's hardly finished playing basketball. If he doesn't find himself on a playoff team soon, he will try to find an opportunity for a training camp invite next fall. Finley was never a smooth ball handler, but his athleticism and shooting have given him a unique longevity. He's trimmer now than he's been in years, and frankly, Finley still has what it takes to barely play in the NBA. Let's take a moment to list the possibilities for the improbable continuation of Mike Finley's NBA career.
Los Angeles Lakers-
Michael Finley on the Lakers? Something about it just doesn't seem right. Finley's prime years came in Western Conference uniforms Phoenix, Dallas, and San Antonio, all of which are Laker-hating franchises. Don't get me wrong, if LA calls, Finley will answer with bells on. But it's not a picture we want to see painted.
Dallas Mavericks-
The basketball spirits would be in triple overtime if this Cosmos-rattling reunion were to unfold. Finley adamantly insists that there's no bad blood between himself and Mavs' brass Mark Cuban and Donnie Nelson, but it's impossible to forget that Fin-Dawg's legacy was tarnished when Dallas dismissed him via amnesty clause. One thing's for sure, Dallas has no interest in Michael Finley and, furthermore, they don't have any roster room, so this pipe dream of ours is pure fable, the kind of starry-eyed scenario saved for J.R.R. Tolkien and great grandchildren.
New Orleans Hornets-
Give the ball to Mike Finley and watch out. Finley would be a great fit. It was rumored for generations that he was always dreaming of playing alongside David Wesley as a Charlotte Hornet, and it's not unlikely that you'll spot Finley in his current home-city of Dover, Delaware, working out and running hard on local playground courts and street gyms, wearing a lucky Larry Johnson jersey.
Chicago Bulls-
Michael Finley is a Chicago guy. He was born there, and he grew up in its beautiful city streets. While in high school, a teenage Mike Finley was considered the best of his peers, and was granted a one-on-one showdown versus then superstar Michael Jordan. After the game, Jordan said to Teen Fin, "Perhaps we'll meet again someday on the professional stage." The prophecy came true, and what better a place than Chicago to come full circle on a first-rate career. If Finley does sign with Chicago, I'd be shocked if they didn't win a championship in 2011.
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