Based on his performance with Miami in last year’s playoffs, it would seem fair to say that Bibby’s days as a starter are long gone. He’ll get some minutes as a backup point guard and shooter off the bench, but barring an injury, he probably won’t play enough to merit fantasy consideration in most formats.
With Jamal Crawford in Atlanta, Bibby saw his playing time and numbers dip to career lows during the 2009-10 season. He'll still be among the Hawks' starting five this season, but at 32, Bibby is clearly on downside. Look for Crawford and sophomore point guard Jeff Teague to continue eating into Bibby's playing time going forward.
In his first full season with the Hawks, the veteran Bibby played well enough to earn a new three-year contract… but not well enough to stave off competition for his job. Atlanta acquired veteran combo guard Jamal Crawford in a trade with Golden State and drafted Wake Forest’s Jeff Teague – both players figure to cut into Bibby’s minutes somewhat. When he does play, Bibby’s biggest asset is his three-point shooting. He canned 167 in 79 games last year, shooting 39 percent from long range. His assist totals are usually good but not great for a starting point – five per game last season – and he’ll consistently get you one steal plus on average.
This is a big season for Bibby, who is in the final year of his contract. Despite an underwhelming performance in the playoff series against Boston, he was exactly what the Hawks needed when they traded for him. He stabilized the point guard spot, which had been the club’s Achilles’ heel. Atlanta invested a 2007 first-round draft pick in Acie Law, but he was a bit player on last season’s team. And as the Hawks look to go deeper into the playoffs, a veteran like Bibby might be the long-term answer. If they can sign him. The Hawks organization didn’t have the best summer, losing Josh Childress to Europe and needing to match an offer sheet to retain Josh Smith. Bibby was one of six Hawks (including Childress) to average double-digit scoring, so the team has some scorers beside Bibby. Joe Johnson and Smith are the primary offensive producers, with Marvin Williams and Al Horford capable of finishing, too.
Bibby’s name has been mentioned in a lot of trade rumors this offseason, but it looks like he’ll be starting the season in Sacramento. That may not be a bad thing because new coach Reggie Theus plans an up-tempo attack that will suit Bibby, who is very good in the open court. He may cede some of the scoring load to Kevin Martin and Ron Artest, but Bibby is still among the league leaders in three-point shooting and is normally a good overall shooter despite a drop-off last season.
Bibby had an excellent season last year, holding together a Sacramento team that suffered far more than its fair share of injuries. This season, he’s looking to do even better. He’s lost 18 pounds over the summer in an effort to improve his quickness and first step; that could net him more easy scoring opportunities and trips to the free throw line. Roster turnover will also work in Bibby’s favor, at least in the early season. Bonzi Wells might not be back in Sacramento, and it might take a little while for a regular to emerge at the shooting guard spot – Kevin Martin, Francisco Garcia and Quincy Douby will probably contend for minutes. That may mean additional scoring opportunities for Bibby, in addition to his usual assist numbers.
With Bobby Jackson headed east, this could be the season that Mike Bibby really steps up. Bibby was more than solid in 2004-05, scoring nearly 20 points a night and chipping in 6.8 assists, 4.4 boards and 1.5 steals. He also hit 1.6 threes per night, shooting from downtown at a respectable 36% clip. A concern for the team that could work in Bibby’s favor: the Kings have experienced serious roster turnover since last season’s trade deadline… and Bibby, along with Peja Stojakovic and Brad Miller, is one of the few players remaining with extensive experience in Sacramento’s intricate Princeton-style offense. That could mean Bibby will be asked to carry more of the load until the likes of Shareef Abdur-Rahim and Bonzi Wells are really comfortable in Pete Carril’s sets.
Bibby doesn't rack up the big assist numbers of some of the top point guards, putting up about five and a half per game, but he has some other nice numbers. Bibby stepped up his scoring average last season, putting up 18.4 ppg with almost two threes per contest, and he did it while shooting for a nice percentage, 45 percent. He can put up over a steal a game, and can grab a few boards at the point guard position as well. Bibby doesn't have to play a ton of minutes with Bobby Jackson around to back him up, which helps the Kings, but hurts your fantasy team, as he doesn't put up the raw numbers of a Marbury or a Cassell. He also may not be asked to score as much if Chris Webber can stay healthy all season.
After dominating during the 2002 playoffs, many expected a breakout year out of Bibby last season. He put up respectable numbers (15.9 points, 5.2 assists, 2.7 rebounds, 1.3 steals), but was a disappointment nonetheless. Bibby recently admitted, however, that he never fully recovered from a broken foot that forced him to miss the first 27 games last season, subsequently hindering his performance. He should be 100 percent this season, but will continue to lose some playing time to Bobby Jackson. Expect similar, if not slightly better numbers from Bibby this season.
