AJC > Sports > Hawks > Blog > Archives > 2007 > January > 17
Wednesday, January 17, 2007
Will Claxton make a speedy return?
The Atlanta Journal-Constitution
Since I’d never heard of chondromalacia before Tuesday, I’m still trying to figure out what that means for the Hawks and point guard Speedy Claxton.
I’m not sure that anyone else knows what to make of it either. Hawks coach Mike Woodson wants him back in the lineup now but Claxton says he isn’t ready. That means Royal Ivey, the All-State Man, will once again be called upon to fill the void.
I’d push my Anthony Johnson trade theory some more here, but that thing never sprouted legs (though I believe that it remains the Hawks’ best option at the point with the injury history of both Claxton and Tyronn Lue, who had his season and legs burned up by huge minutes early in the year that everyone knew wasn’t good for him).
I liked the way Josh Childress played point guard at times against the Celtics, but I wouldn’t want to burden him with that and take away from his slashing duties and abilities elsewhere throughout the game. The potential defensive mismatches that he causes on one end also become a liability on the other, in certain situations. So he’s not the best long-term solution either. You know, the more I think about it the more it makes sense to keep pushing the Anthony Johnson trade scenario. AJ is a reliable, bigger point guard who can also give a team minutes at shooting guard. He proved his worth the past few seasons in Indiana, when he had to rescue them while Jamaal Tinsley struggled with injuries.
Another bonus is that Johnson is one of the many NBA players who calls Atlanta home (in the offseason). He’s already had one stint with the Hawks and is a guy who worked out on the Hawks’ practice court during informal workouts and pick-up games over the summer.
Why not make a move to get him and shore up an area of obvious need? Because even if you get him back anytime soon, it’s clear that his condition won’t heal 100 percent this season.
I don’t know if Dallas has to be convinced that the deal (Salim Stoudamire and Esteban Batista for Johnson) works for them, or what. But whatever needs to be done to get it going, I’d be doing it.
Two areas in need of clarification from Tuesday’s yapping:
1) Some of us need to learn how to take a joke and realize that I was making fun of my favorite (and only) show (24) yesterday. Of course I’m not going to dump the show over Curtis and the OG President Palmer being killed (does anyone anywhere have a sense of humor anymore? Good gracious).
And if I really wanted to go on some rant about Hollywood’s fetish for offing characters with brown or any other colored skin, I would have done so (You all know me well enough by now to know that I’m hardly afraid of making a good fool of myself whenever the mood arises).
I’d hate to have to start putting disclaimers on top of everything that shows up here so people know what’s done with tongue firmly planted in cheek and what’s not. (I’m still ticked off about Curtis getting capped by Jack, though. Give me at least two more episodes to get over it).
Besides, I’ve been “done” with Michigan football 50 times over the past 25 years and always come back a coupled days later. Give me my 10 minutes to rant and then come back to my senses.
2) My baby sister demanded I print a correction. She is NOT a Beyonce hater. She just said she’s tired of cats like me hyping Beyonce up like she’s the only gorgeous woman on the planet that can actually sing and act. But she is NOT, I repeat IS NOT, a Beyonce hater as I stated yesterday (… whatever).
