<div class='quotetop'>QUOTE </div><div class='quotemain'>Speedy Claxton's second Hawks season is officially over. His Hawks career could be next. Claxton said noted sports surgeon Dr. Richard Steadman recommended earlier this week that he have microfracture surgery on his left knee if he wants a chance to continue his NBA career, one that has been derailed the last year and half by recurring issues with his knee. Claxton, who is in the second year of a four-year, $25 million deal he signed with the Hawks in July 2006, said he is "contemplating his next step" with no timetable set for a decision to either have the surgery or pursue another opinion, or perhaps even consider retirement. "This is something you have to think through before doing anything one way or the other," Claxton said. That last option would involve Claxton taking a medical retirement, which would alleviate the salary and salary cap burden for the Hawks. Insurance would pay 80 percent of the monies owed Claxton while the Hawks would be responsible for the remaining 20 percent. Claxton's salary, second highest on the team at $6 million per season, would come off the Hawks payroll after next season if he were to decide to retire this season. But Claxton made it clear that he's far from making a final decision. And Hawks general manager Billy Knight said the franchise will not exert any pressure on him to decide, one way or another. "We're going to do everything we can to help him, whatever he decides to do," Knight said. "It's a situation where he wants to play but he's just not able to do it. We're certainly not going to put him in a situation where we say, 'You have to have the surgery.' We're just not going to do that." A seven-year veteran, Claxton has already missed 66 games due to injuries since joining the Hawks; his signing was hailed as the answer to the Hawks' point guard woes.</div> Atlanta Journal-Constitution
While you hate to see a player suffer an injury under any circumstances, the bright side is there's more minutes for Acie Law.
Right now, Lue is still ahead of Law in the depth chart. Until Law shows he is ready to play big minutes, Lue will play more. Law isn't producing enough right now, and he isn't passing the ball well enough either to play ahead of Lue.
I thought this was a good signing when the Hawks made it but Speedy hasn't lived up to it because of all the injuries.
