Offseason decisions: Which Hawks will stay and which will go?

Cavs kept Joe from scoring.

For a young team on the rise, the Atlanta Hawks face an unusually high stack of personnel decisions. Nine players are free agents, including the wayward Josh Childress, who took his Afro and sublime game to Greece but still is beholden to the Hawks in the NBA.

Chief among them is whether to sign the unrestricted point guard Mike Bibby, who cost nearly $15 million this year. Bibby is 31, but the main numerical concern should be this: 6-2. That's his height, and Bibby increasingly struggles to defend and attack taller guards. That causes him to settle for jump shots, which he can make.

Problem is, nobody waits in the wings. Acie Law has been a bust, and injury-prone Speedy Claxton conveyed his interest in returning to the team by skipping Tuesday's mandatory meeting. A remedy could come from the NBA draft, where point guard should be available.

The two other unrestricteds almost certainly will be back, partly for financial benefits. Backup center Zaza Pachulia ($4 million this season) and reserve shooting guard Flip Murray ($1.5 million) won't command break-the-bank deals. Pachulia is an ideal part-timer -- a mean enforcer, physical, decent skills. Murray provided points off the bench.

As for the restricted free agents, the toughest call involves small forward Marvin Williams, a decent player who will never live up to being chosen second in the draft -- behind Chris Paul and Deron Williams in 2005. Williams made $5.6 million this season, and there will be no crowd of suitors for him. Still, the Hawks may decide he needs a fresh start where expectations are reduced and elect not to match any offers.

The most delicate decision of all concerns their premier player, Joe Johnson. He'll be back next year -- as an unrestricted free agent. Which means the Hawks must decide sooner rather than later if Johnson's $14.2 million salary is worth it for someone who cannot carry a team, a la Dwyane Wade or Kobe Bryant. (Notice LeBron James isn't mentioned here. He is otherwordly, and comparisons to mere mortals is unfair to them.)

The Hawks surely know that to compete with the Cavaliers in the Eastern Conference, Johnson needs a formidable partner nearly his equal or must play sidekick to a Kobe-esque type. It became evident in the playoffs that, with teammates ailing, Johnson failed to come through.

Get on it, Hawks management. Postpone that summer vacation. Decisions, decisions.

Clock ticking on Bibby's career.

Zaza hooked into backup role.