Bibby Wants To Stay A Hawk

The first thing on Mike Bibby‘s mind after the Atlanta Hawks season ended Monday was how much he wanted to stay with the team. Bibby just completed his three year contract that was initially signed with the Sacramento Kings and now hits the open market. If Bibby gets his wish he won’t be on it for long. Does management want him back? Only time will tell, but head coach Mike Woodson definitely does.

“I would love to have him back next year,” Woodson told the Atlanta Journal-Constitution. “Mike Bibby is a big part of what we did this season. He came over last year and we don’t make the playoffs without Mike. We don’t win 47 games this year and sew up the fourth spot and host the first round at Philips Arena without Mike. I would love to have Mike back.”

In my eyes the decision will come down to whether Bibby can get the team to the next level. Coach Woodson isn’t lying when he said the Hawks wouldn’t be where they were without him. But can he get the job done in the playoffs anymore?

Early in his career he was lights out when on the big stage, now not quite so. In the 2008 NBA Playoffs, Bibby averaged only 10.3 points and 3.1 assists per game, numbers well below his season average.

In this years playoffs reactions are pretty mixed. He averaged 13.2 points and 4.2 assists per game, but the numbers were much worse in the second round against the Cleveland Cavaliers. Against stiffer competition averaged only 10 points and 4 assists, even being benched for most of the deciding fourth game.

“If I do anything more than what I did tonight, we win this game,” Bibby said. “I didn’t shoot the ball well. I do anything and there is a good chance we come out on top.”

It’s good to see the guy knows he plays an integral part of this team. But the key question is, was this series a sign of whats to come for Bibby or an aberration?

Bibby earned $15 million last season, there is no doubt in my mind that if his career is going to continue with the Hawks it will come at a much lower rate. If a guy can’t lift his level of performance in the playoffs you can’t pay him that kind of money. It’s just that simple but is it?

The other point guards on the Hawks roster are Acie Law and Speedy Claxton. Those two will not get you to the playoffs, no matter what talent you surround them with. So the Hawks either resign Bibby, hit free agency or the draft.

There’s some solid bench performers hitting the market but the main prizes are Bibby, Jason Kid, Andre Miller and Raymond Felton (a restricted free agent). So looking at that group its reasonable to assume the Hawks best option might be to just resign Bibby and hope for the best.

“It’s not my decision to make,” Bibby said. “I told them before, I love it here. … I definitely want to come back. I love the coaching staff, love the team, love the city.”

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Tags: Atlanta Hawks, Mike Bibby, NBA