Hawks Agree with Speedy !!!!!

[TheDude]

Speedy Claxton is better than Tyron Lue, Royal Ivey, and Salim Stoudamire(right now). Good signing.

In my opinion, BK really wanted to go after Cassel and maybe had someone else in mind. But when Cassel was gone and free agency really started off quick, he decided to pick a solid free agent and will probably still see what he can find out there..

Good signing.

[TheDude]

The Atlanta Hawks, roundly criticized for bypassing Chris Paul in the 2005 NBA draft, addressed their void at point guard Monday by reaching a verbal agreement with Paul's backcourt mate: Speedy Claxton.

Speedy Claxton

Point Guard

NO/Oklahoma City Hornets

Profile

2006 SEASON STATISTICS

GM PPG RPG APG FG% FT%

71 12.3 2.7 4.8 .413 .769

Claxton's agent, Bill Duffy, told ESPN.com that Claxton has verbally agreed to sign with the Hawks on July 12, the first day free agent signings and trades can be made official.

It is believed that Claxton will receive a four-year deal worth $25 million.

The Hawks targeted Claxton after a two-year, $13 million bid to wrest Sam Cassell away from the Los Angeles Clippers fell short. Cassell opted late Saturday to stay in L.A. when the Clippers matched Atlanta's offer.

Claxton, who logged key playoff minutes at the point for San Antonio's 2003 championship team, emerged as a top Sixth Man Award candidate with the Hornets last season as Paul's backup. Hornets coach Byron Scott frequently played Claxton and the eventual Rookie of the Year together in a small, but quick backcourt tandem.

Claxton is expected to be the unquestioned starter in Atlanta, enabling Joe Johnson -- the Hawks' marquee free agent acquisition last summer -- to play at his natural shooting guard position.

a four-year deal worth $25 million

[frosgrim]

I agree, Speedy was the backup plan that had to be made now. If we can get another PG in an SnT, eg Miller, Crawford, etc, then all the better.

Or Al can be used to get another big to really start in front of Z and let Sheldon just play the 4.

[Plainview1981]

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I agree, Speedy was the backup plan that had to be made now. If we can get another PG in an SnT, eg Miller, Crawford, etc, then all the better.

Or Al can be used to get another big to really start in front of Z and let Sheldon just play the 4.

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IF the Hawks get somebody that is starting worthy it then just becomes an opinion of Speedy being overpaid. I guess the Hawks have to overpay to get anybody that's not downright awful, but still... It seems like a tad bit too much.

Can believe averaging a mediocre 12/5 gets you near 7 million a year. Completely insane. But could be worse. I hope Billy gets a starter now and ships Al/Lue for a starting PG.

[frosgrim]

Market economics at work; nothing more, nothing less. Its good to be one of 450 people that can do something in the world.

Claxton was the best available solution to the problem. That is why it works, at this time. To do nothing would have been worse. Speedy can do the exact things that we were weak in.

[DJlaysitup]

Well if Speedy can push the tempo and penetrate and dish as well as take it to the hoop occasionally - he might be a really nice fit here. I like the fact that he is a career .750+% free throw shooter too since that is a must for a PG (IMO).

If he can knock down the occasional jumper to keep the opposing defense honest - that's really all we need shooting-wise.

He should also bring energy (which we sometimes lack).

[GMyrberg]

All part of the plan. Again, Speedy not a sexy choice but serves team needs. As a lesson that the Falcons, with McKay as GM, have taught, signing a FA can keep you from being held hostage in FAs, drafts, and sign and trades. Easy to pick on parts of Speedy's game, harder to pick on him as part of an overall upgrade. A complete team, with some depth, good young talent and an uptempo PG with some experience. Where were we before the draft again? I love reading about all the crazy things that might be done. This one actually makes sense from lots of angles. Look what's happening in the FA market. The Al move is next. Hopefully we will obtain a usable asset. With the Al market shaping up the way it is, we may not be able to hope for more than a first round next year (Ok by me although I, too, would LIKE more).

[sturt]

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Of course you don't get your ideal guy every time.

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What are you, like Chief Apologist for the Trilateral Commission? Criticize an administrator/decision-maker, and Lascar leaps to their rescue as if they're Jesus.

First, it's not like BK doesn't have options, especially only three days into the FA negotiating period, and it's not like he hasn't been working his options from the first minute the period began.

I like BK. I just would like him so much more if he were demonstrating coherence between what he says he wants and what he actually acquires. It worries me when BK or anyone makes plans based on, seemingly, adequate if not excellent reason. His idea, ie, that he needed a big PG so that when Woody plays Lue, he has the option to leave the new guard in the game, seemed to make some sense. Signing a 5-11 guard essentially says, "Ummmm... well, maybe I can bend my principles on this one." No like that... when bending principles becomes the rule instead of the exception, then what's the point of having principles in the first place?

No... sadly the actions (not the words mind you) taken would indicate to me that BK was convinced last draft that someone was going to make him an offer for Marvin, and instead of admitting his poker playing failed, he hid behind a made-up philosophy of wanting to create mismatches.

It may work out anyway.

I do think BK's established that he's at least as good as, if not better than, most GMs as a talent evaluator. Evidence: his second round picks ordinarily stick around the league, and his first round picks in the long term have usually panned out to be in the ballpark in terms of their value relative to their draft slot.

But getting back to Lascar's parting question, I think it's hard to argue that BK has gotten "his ideal" even once... why?... at least one must wonder, "Does BK actually have an overall 'ideal' or is he piecing this patchwork quilt together depending on the availability and appeal of any given quilt square?"

[sturt]

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Well if Speedy can push the tempo and penetrate and dish as well as take it to the hoop occasionally - he might be a really nice fit here. I like the fact that he is a career .750+% free throw shooter too since that is a must for a PG (IMO).

If he can knock down the occasional jumper to keep the opposing defense honest - that's really all we need shooting-wise.

He should also bring energy (which we sometimes lack).

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Ummm... pardon me, but thinking about this skill set... wouldn't one think of Speedy as more similar to a Lue (which is already in the stable, of course) than to, say, a Cassell?

And if so, what are we really getting that we don't already have?

(That's a question, not a statement.)

[tmac13]

I think Speedy is a real point guard with good defensive skills and excellent passing skills..I think Lue is really a little bitty 2 guard that doesn't play a lick of defense..Thats just my personal opinion.

[Duff_Man]

I like it. We couldn't land Cassell, but got our second man who is a ery capable point and is an immediate upgrade to Lue and Ivey (or Salim). I always thought Lue coming off the bench was better for him, and now Ivey doesn't have to start. While I agree that the price tag was a tad high, in this market, it looks like this may have been one of the cheaper deals. I am anxious to see what happens with Al Harrington at this point.

Jason Kidd shoots 40% over his career and has been traded twice....once for Marbury. Did we get Jason Kidd...no. But we did get a huge upgrade and a player in his absolute prime that will make JJ, Smith, and Marvin better than we had.

I love the move as it is indicative of our building a team rather than throwing every dime at one guy. I think the pieces are being put in place pretty well.

Another thing...this also shows that the team is not handcuffed by the ownership mess...which is a HUGE positive if you can't muster any other good vibes from it.

[Lascar78]

the man likes atheltic, long versatile guys who can play multiple positions. Are you going to tell me that most of our core in JJ, Smith, Chill, Marvin (and previously Diaw and Donta), arguably Shelden, don't fit the bill? If anything, there's a criticism that BK goes for "his type" of player too much and veers away from standard positions too much.

How many threads have been started about BK being a nut because all he goes after are versatile 6'8" swingmen that he loves so much (his guys) and that he needs to get more "standard" position players. And now that he gets such a guy, you're going to say that he never gets the kind of guy he wants? That's just funny.

If you were to post a poll and ask what GM acquires "his kind of guy" the most often, BK would be the #1 response. If anything, it's his problem.

Besides, he wanted a big, experienced PG who can run. Unless he could get a deal for Dre Miller done, there was no big experienced PG who can run available. So he went for an experienced PG who can run who is not that big.

Also not sure how you determine whether or not he got the BPA before a single game had been played. Most of us were pretty sure Marvin was the BPA until Paul played in the NBA, so far it hasn't worked out that way. Clearly BK got the guy he wanted in the draft, and his second choice in free agency.

[sturt]

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We couldn't land Cassell, but got our second man

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Well, third man, if you believe the Mike James rumors... but maybe I'm nitpicking... I really do like Claxton, even as I'm fighting memories of a younger Brevin Knight getting posted up and negating everything else he brought to the floor.

[Buzzard]

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Excellent, finally, a complete team..Good job BK..It seems though BK didn't stick with his "at least 6'2" point guard" statement..Speedy is 5'11"..I think Speedy was the best pure point guard available..

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I agree with you here and this should be every bit as good a pickup as ZaZa was last year. Speedy (a solid starter) for 25 nill is a great deal!

[Buzzard]

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"We need a big point guard with the experience to help quarterback these young horses we have, and yet who can run with them." (paraphrase)

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Sturt the only PG out there like this is over 3O and has never proven himself to be a starter. If you had to choose between Lue Or Speedy being your starter, who do you pick?

I think this is what BK was looking at and I agree with the decision. Also I agree with this, Speedy is a BPA over Mike James.

If you cannot ge a all star to fill a need via free agency; nothing wrong with BPA...

[emeans]

This was a very good sign. I personally didn't want Cassell and I am happy that deal fell to the waste side. Speedy was next best option other than Mike James this year in FA. Hopefully he will help out at the point. I think he will do fine.

Now lets get one more big with Al as bait!!!