Speedy Claxton ready to prove self to Hawks

The cautionary tale of Speedy Claxton might not end the way you think. Not if the Hawks’ veteran point guard has anything to say about it.

Two years after signing as the Hawks point guard of the future, Claxton is still trying to justify the deal.

Only now he’s doing it without any of the fanfare that accompanied his first two seasons. That spotlight belongs to starter Mike Bibby and second-year backup point guard Acie Law IV.

If Claxton has a future with the Hawks, hand and knee injuries in each of the past two seasons have cast a serious doubt, he’ll have to prove it now during the grind of training camp.

“I can just come into camp with an open mind and I don’t feel a ton of pressure on me,” Claxton said Wednesday after the Hawks wrapped up their second practice of training camp. “The first year I came in as the starting point guard and last year everybody was wondering if I could come back from the [knee] injury. I don’t think there is anything really expected of me at this point.

“It’s sort of like let’s see what happens. If he can help us, cool. And if not, let’s move on.”

That’s exactly what the Hawks did last season. They drafted Law with the 11th pick in the 2007 NBA draft and then acquired Bibby at the February trade deadline. Meanwhile Claxton sat out the entire season with a knee injury that would ultimately require surgery.

Claxton will make $5.76 million this season and $5.2 million in 2009-10, the final year of the four-year, $25 million deal he signed with the Hawks two years ago.

Claxton broke his hand just days before his first training camp with the Hawks and wound up playing just 42 games that season. Last year was supposed to be his redemption season.

But after resuming his starting role throughout training camp, knee troubles forced him out of the lineup and out of the playing rotation for good.

So after two days of camp thus far, Hawks coach Mike Woodson is hesitant to heap any extra pressure on Claxton.

“All we’re doing from an organizational and coaching standpoint is taking things one day at a time with Speedy,” Woodson said. “A lot of it is up to Speedy. Where he goes with his game and helping us win basketball games … his health is the main issue.

“And it’s funny, we were watching exhibition games from last season earlier today. Speedy made it all through our running program and was starting for us in exhibition season and played well. Then he got hurt and couldn’t play the regular season. So we’re just trying to watch him closely and hoping that he’s healthy enough to play.”

For the record, Claxton said his knees feel fine and that he’s optimistic that he can contribute if called upon. But there’s no telling where he might fit into the playing rotation with not only Bibby and Law slated for minutes, but also newcomer Flip Murray also capable of working at point guard.

“It’s hard,” Woodson said. “It’s hard to play five or six perimeter guys. There just aren’t enough minutes. But as far as I’m concerned it’s about who is healthy and who is producing. That’s the name of the game.”

It’s a game Claxton played to perfection in his previous stops, mostly as a backup, in Philadelphia, San Antonio, Golden State and New Orleans. Claxton won a championship with the Spurs in 2003.

“I played against Speedy when he was in Golden State and Speedy is a top point guard,” Bibby said. “So for him to be off the radar is just stupid. I mean, I know he hasn’t played. But he has it in him. He just has to come out and do it.”

And while others might be prepared to write Claxton off again this season, Bibby is not.

“You never know what can happen,” he said. “There are always injuries and stuff that happens. That’s how people get their playing time. I can use Kevin Martin [in Sacramento] as an example. He didn’t play that much his first year but somebody got hurt and he got his chance. He came in and showed everybody what he could do and blossomed into a hell of a player.

“You’ve got to get your chance. And you’ve got to be in the right situation. The way I see it, things happen for reason. And if it’s meant to happen it happens.”