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Posted: Saturday February 16, 2008 8:20PM; Updated: Monday February 18, 2008 12:39PM
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Trade Analysis: Bibby traded for Lue, three others, pick
HAWKS GET:
Mike Bibby -- G

 KINGS GET:
Anthony Johnson -- PG
Tyronn Lue -- PG
Shelden Williams -- F/C Lorenzen Wright -- F/C
One second-round pick
'07-08 G PPG RPG APG SPG FG% FT%
Bibby 15 13.5 3.7 5.0 1.3 40.6 74.2
'07-08 G PPG RPG APG SPG FG% FT%
Johnson 41 6.4 2.3 4.7 1.0 42.3 80.0
Lue 33 6.8 1.2 1.8 0.3 43.9 85.7
WHY THE HAWKS MADE THE DEAL WHY THE KINGS MADE THE DEAL
The Hawks want to end their NBA-long playoff drought -- nine years -- and Bibby should help them do it. The 6-foot-2 point guard, the No. 2 overall pick in 1998, gives the Hawks the experienced floor general and clutch shot-maker they've lacked seemingly forever. Bibby, who appears healed from the thumb injury that kept him out the first two months, is a definite upgrade over the point guards they gave up in Johnson and Lue. He should join with All-Star shooting guard Joe Johnson to give Atlanta one of the East's better backcourts. The Hawks might miss Lue's locker-room presence, but Bibby's credentials should command respect among the younger Hawks. The emergence of rookie Al Horford, meanwhile, had made Wright and Williams expendable. The Kings weren't going anywhere this season anyway, and Bibby didn't fit into their long-range plans. By getting rid of his contract (one more year, $14.5 million), the Kings gain some salary-cap relief. Bibby, a seven-year starter, will be missed. But Beno Udrih has done a good job this season running new coach Reggie Theus' system, and the arrival of quality vets Johnson and Lue provides ample depth at the point(assuming they remain with Sacramento the rest of the season). Williams, a former No. 5 overall pick, gives Sacramento a decent frontcourt prospect. The real key for the Kings, though, is that Johnson, Lue and Wright are each in the final year of their contracts. That means Sacramento can also clear those salaries off the books.
THE BOTTOM LINE
It's another big-name deal in one of the NBA's busiest trade seasons in recent memory. The amazing thing is the notoriously skinflint Hawks actually agreed to take on Bibby's rather large salary. Guess they really do want to end that playoff drought. For the Kings, it's another big step in the rebuilding.

Could Ron Artest be next?

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