Claxton to Golden State -- Done Deal

[Cassius Clay]

Now that Arenas has signed an offer sheet with the Wizards, Claxton would seem to be on his way to Golden State. From what I understand, Golden State could match the Wizards' offer if they found a way to create the cap room within the 15 days from when they receive the offer sheet. Perhaps the Spurs could be of service then.

If the Warriors decline to match, then Claxton would seem destined to be a Warrior.

Edit --

Tuesday, July 22

Warriors find Arenas' replacement in Claxton
By Marc Stein
ESPN.com
espn.go.com/nba/columns/s...84121.html


Speedy Claxton made himself some money in free agency with his Game 6 heroics for the Spurs.
The Golden State Warriors wasted no time in finding a replacement for Gilbert Arenas.

ESPN.com's Marc Stein reports that the Warriors will sign free-agent point guard Speedy Claxton to a three-year contract believed to be worth $10 million.

Arenas, 21, the Warriors' starting point guard and the NBA's Most Improved Player last season, signed an offer sheet believed to be worth $65 million with the Washington Wizards on Monday night. Golden State had 15 days to match the contract, but the addition of Claxton serves as an unofficial concession that the Warriors won't match.

Claxton, 25, became a hot commodity after helping the San Antonio Spurs to the NBA championship. He averaged 6.2 points and shot 56 percent from the field in the six-game series victory over the New Jersey Nets, coming up big in the le-clinching win in Game 6 with 13 points and four assists off the bench in place of slumping starter Tony Parker.

Claxton will step right in as the Warriors' starting point guard. The team's backup, Earl Boykins, is also a free agent, and the point guards currently on the roster are second-round pick Derrick Zimmerman and Steve Logan, a second-round pick last year who did not reach contract terms with the team.

[CoachTF]

Golden State is doing a nice job of putting together the organization. They did a nice job of adding a young coach with tons of energy and a very high basketball IQ. They have added a couple of bright assistants who work well with players and they have some real good character guys. Claxton would get that team into their offense better than Arenas and allow them to run more of a team oriented offense. They worked hard on defense last year (Hank Egan) had something to do with that. Arenas has tons of talent but I'm not convinced he is the leader that team needs at the point. The Warriors could make some noise very soon if they can continue to develop their young talent. I think Troy Murphy and Dunleavy will step up big this year. Speedy would fit in great in Golden State and he would have a real class act coaching him. So if Speedy is going to leave us, I hope it's for the Warriors because they will take care of him.

[SAmikeyp]

I would hate to see Speedy leave but he could really make some noise in Golden State.

[Walton Buys Off Me]

Playing Oakland would become pretty interesting.....

I'd love to see Parker vs. Speedy

P.S What is 'Golden State'? I know it's supposed to conjure California but are the Warriors the only team in sports hailing from a 'fictional' city?

[Adrienne18]

It's not supposed to be a fictional city, I guess Golden State (California IS the "Golden State") sounded better than the California Warriors...

[KoriEllis]

ESPNews reporting Clax to GS is a done deal.

I'm waiting to see if there is wire confirmation.

[tlongII]

The news just keeps getting worse by the day for Spurs fans.

[ducks]

who is mad?

everyone knew it

most like the backup that gs had last year.

I like that guy better then speedy. speedy is to injury prone.

[CosmicCowboyXXX]

TLong, shut up and get back to cracking the whip on those women and kids in the sweatshop...LeBron needs his BlingBling...

[Spurminator]

This move vaults Golden State into my top 5 favorite teams.

[junglespur]

Good for Speedy. Hate to see him go. But he deserves a shot at running his own team.

Just hope he doesn't get an ulcer once he realizes the absolutely horrific D played (or not played, as the case may be) by guys like Antawn and JRich.

It will be interesting to see how Speedy performs in GS. I think he will be a good distributor, probably better than Arenas (who was not that great in that part of the game). The tough part, IMO, will be that in GS's helter-skelter offense a lot of points came from guys like Arenas and Jamison just creating their own shot. Arenas was amazing at draining shots from outside with a guy his face. That didn't strike me as a strength of Speedy's.

Hopefully Speedy won't have the same problems that Andre Miller had in Clipper-land -- solid traditional point guard fitting in badly with an up-tempo run-and-gun-type crew where the point guard is more like just another scoring threat...

Good luck Speedy.

[Cassius Clay]

The move we've been expecting all summer long. Too bad there wasn't a S&T deal to be had with Speedy.

[ducks]

Warriors find Arenas' replacement in Claxton

--------------------------------------------------------------------------------

By Marc Stein
ESPN.com



Speedy Claxton made himself some money in free agency with his Game 6 heroics for the Spurs.
The Golden State Warriors wasted no time in finding a replacement for Gilbert Arenas.

ESPN.com's Marc Stein reports that the Warriors will sign free-agent point guard Speedy Claxton to a three-year contract believed to be worth $10 million.

Arenas, 21, the Warriors' starting point guard and the NBA's Most Improved Player last season, signed an offer sheet believed to be worth $65 million with the Washington Wizards on Monday night. Golden State had 15 days to match the contract, but the addition of Claxton serves as an unofficial concession that the Warriors won't match.

Claxton, 25, became a hot commodity after helping the San Antonio Spurs to the NBA championship. He averaged 6.2 points and shot 56 percent from the field in the six-game series victory over the New Jersey Nets, coming up big in the le-clinching win in Game 6 with 13 points and four assists off the bench in place of slumping starter Tony Parker.

Claxton will step right in as the Warriors' starting point guard. The team's backup, Earl Boykins, is also a free agent, and the point guards currently on the roster are second-round pick Derrick Zimmerman and Steve Logan, a second-round pick last year who did not reach contract terms with the team.

Marc Stein is the senior NBA writer for ESPN.com. To e-mail him, click here. Also, send Stein a question for possible use on ESPNEWS.

[baseline bum]

**** this front office for not being willing to outbid $3 million starting on a 3 year deal when the Spurs haven't landed this offseason. Great work there Pop and RC. I can't wait for when you trade our second best big for a one-dimensional over the hill two-guard.

[Ghost Writer]

:pc2

Nice f'ing job.

Any more good news?


Question.

[KoriEllis]

Base, you know Speedy wanted to start. That's why he's gone.

[MannyIsGod]

don't be stupid, they woudl easily offer speedy that much, he wanted to leave!!!

[Cassius Clay]

WTF? Some of you have lost it. Call up Claxton and him out.

[ducks]

well it is lower then I thought BUT SPEEDY STARTS and that is what he wanted. I do not blame him one bit.

why over pay speedy to be a back and keep him on the team?

you would have to overpay him for a one year deal.

[ChumpDumper]

at the overreactions.

Claxton wants to start.

Godspeed.

Boykins can actually hit the three, BTW.

[Cassius Clay]

Spurs fans will about anything.©2003 TheGreatest, Inc.

[Ghost Writer]

I wonder if $4 million a year would've persuaded Speedy to sit.

[ducks]

the three will spread the d.

maybe that makes more since then keeping a guy that is always injuried.

[ducks]

NO GHOST he has the ring

he wants prove he can start.

it is about the EGO THING

[Cassius Clay]

It was inevitable. Now Ghost has something imaginary to about for the rest of the afternoon. Thank God.

Speedy wanted a starting gig and he got one.