I Always Liked Billy Knight

I'm sure you already heard, but Mr. Knight pulled off a pretty damn good trade. Atlanta sent Lue, Anthony Johnson, Lorenzen Wright and Shelden Williams, along with the 2009 2nd round pick, to Sacramento for Mike Bibby. I love this trade for several reasons:

1. Bibby has a pretty good contract: assuming he returns to the form he had prior to injury, he can handle the ball and shoot it from downtown. He will fit in really well with this offense and provides that veteran leadership /playoff experience that the team will lose with Tyronne Lue (not like lack of playoff experience is the problem, though). The contracts are roughly equal, so Atlanta isn't picking up a lot of salary here. If they want to re-sign Josh Smith and Josh Childress, they will almost certainly have to exceed the salary cap. It remains to be seen if the ownership has signed on to that, but this move gives the Hawks one of the best backcourts in the Eastern Conference, if not the best.
2. Addition by subtraction: Woodson can't play Lue and Johnson anymore if they aren't on the team! His hand has been forced and he will have to give serious minutes to Acie Law, who was arguably better for the team at point than either of the 2 guys being shipped off. With Lorenzen gone, Woodson might actually have to let Horford play in the 4th quarter when he's in foul trouble, or God forbid, foul out of a game. High five goes out to Hoopinion on that one.
3. Acie Law's upside: now he gets to play, and he gets to play behind a guy whose game he should be emulating. This makes Law better immediately, and I can't wait to see what he does with the opportunity.
4. Joe Johnson's back: he can let the offense off it, now. Bibby spreads the floor by adding another shooter, particularly one that can create his own shot. The Hawks may still stand around and wait for Joe to beat a double-team off the drouble, but at least Bibby will be ready for the kick out.
5. Shelden Williams / Billy Knight's apology: look, I don't think it's fair to say Knight should've drafted Brandon Roy instead of Shelden Williams, because it wasn't obvious he was going to be that good or that he would fit in with the offense. It was obvious, however, that Shelden Williams absolutely had no business going as the number 5 pick, and Knight still could resign over that (among other blunders). Sending him off and only giving up a 2nd rounder, as well as a "poo poo platter" as Simmons would say- well, sir, that's a pretty good deal. I'm surprised that a #1 wasn't included in this deal, or that the Hawks didn't have to take on at least one bad contract. Knight has been very good about not taking on bad contracts- he has made some poor choices, cough cough Speedy Claxton Lorenzen Wright, but he only pays what he thinks those players are truly worth. A big shout out goes out to Sacramento for letting this trade go through and not waiting for a team to actually contribute something of value. Sac-town gets some big cap relief, but the team isn't getting a whole lot of talent. I am... unconvinced of Shelden's long term NBA potential (barring some kind of attitude change).
6. The morale: every player on the floor just got a big ol' slap on the butt (the good kind). They have all the tools to not only make the playoffs, but actually win a few games and do some damage.

To quote the great Bill Murray Ernie Hudson: We've got the tools, and we've got the talent!