Arenas for Vince or dump Arenas for cap space?

[eitanr]

I like Gil's all biz approach. He was originally seen as a prankster and that endedup biting him in the butt. So at least with an all-biz approach he seemingly can't do wrong? Wrong. Wilbon shouldn't use his non-smiling as a flaw...its just to ensure that he repair his image and not be seen by the league and Stern as this prankster...he's trying to show maturity Michael.

That being said, Wilbon is more or less right with the other stuff...Gil's overall fit on the team and his positioning with Wall in place. I do agree that Washington staff is doing the right things. Regardless they are sticking with Gil...will give him plenty of chances and nice opportunities to be successful here at the time being. Meanwhile I don't think they are shopping him persay, but they will definitley listen to inquiries by the Feb deadline.

Arenas though should help out too. Regardless of how he feels he should say he loves being Wall's mentor, feels he can be extremely succesfull here etc etc. His saying otherwise only hurts his value.

I still think regardless of what Arenas says or does or performs etc...the overall plan is the same. Give him starters minutes at the 2...let him at least show he's got the skills we all know he has...and see if someone comes calling by the Feb deadline and look for a package of expirings and better.

[montestewart]

That being said, Wilbon is more or less right with the other stuff...

A broken clock, etc. etc.

That guy's blathering is usually wrong and never original. Someone above mentioned him seeing smoke and yelling "fire!" So true. At best, he unintelligibly states the obvious, mixed in with doses of profundity-lite.

There should be a separate Wilbon thread so his comments won't clutter up other threads.

[dobrojim]

What a horrible article. I just don't understand what the media expects from Gilbert Arenas. If he talks too much in the locker room, it means he's a distraction. If he's quiet, it means he's a sulky drama queen. If he shoots too much on the court, it means he can't coexist with Wall. If he tries to fit in as a second-option role player, it means he's not worth his contract.

Arenas, keep doing what you are doing. I think you're doing everything right. Keep busting your ass in practice. Continue to take care of your knee. Keep listening to your coach. Keep mentoring John Wall. Keep hitting spot-up jumpers while working hard on D. Say as little as possible to the media and let your game speak for itself. Eff them.

this

[DaRealHibachi]

What a horrible article. I just don't understand what the media expects from Gilbert Arenas. If he talks too much in the locker room, it means he's a distraction. If he's quiet, it means he's a sulky drama queen. If he shoots too much on the court, it means he can't coexist with Wall. If he tries to fit in as a second-option role player, it means he's not worth his contract.

Arenas, keep doing what you are doing. I think you're doing everything right. Keep busting your ass in practice. Continue to take care of your knee. Keep listening to your coach. Keep mentoring John Wall. Keep hitting spot-up jumpers while working hard on D. Say as little as possible to the media and let your game speak for itself. Eff them.

[BigA]

And you know Wilbon will be the first one back riding Gil's jock when he and the team do better than expected.

[pineappleheadindc]

I hope we sweep the Bulls this year.

Not because I hate them. They have a nice team and the Bulls community here on RealGM is cool.

I hope the Bulls lose every time because they're Wilbon's team.

[jimij]

I hope we sweep the Bulls this year.

Not because I hate them. They have a nice team and the Bulls community here on RealGM is cool.

I hope the Bulls lose every time because they're Wilbon's team.

Although honestly after the jordan fan boy years, I'd still hate the bulls.

[Chocolate City Jordanaire]

Two words, **** Wilbon.

And that first one starts with F.

[LyricalRico]

What a horrible article. I just don't understand what the media expects from Gilbert Arenas. If he talks too much in the locker room, it means he's a distraction. If he's quiet, it means he's a sulky drama queen. If he shoots too much on the court, it means he can't coexist with Wall. If he tries to fit in as a second-option role player, it means he's not worth his contract.

Arenas, keep doing what you are doing. I think you're doing everything right. Keep busting your ass in practice. Continue to take care of your knee. Keep listening to your coach. Keep mentoring John Wall. Keep hitting spot-up jumpers while working hard on D. Say as little as possible to the media and let your game speak for itself. Eff them.

The truth is somewhere in between. While he is in a no-win situation in some ways, and the media has been overly harsh, some of the things he said the other day were off the Wall, so to speak. I don't think we need to paint him as a martyr.

Fair points, IMO. But everyone is right that winning cures all (and the Bulls stinking it up wouldn't hurt either).

[dobrojim]

Fair points, IMO. But everyone is right that winning cures all (and the HEAT stinking it up wouldn't hurt either).

fixed

[LyricalRico]

^ Oh that goes without saying, Jim. And really both teams have already begun their demise with Boozer's broken hand and Wade's pulled hammy.

[Hoopalotta]

I have no idea how legit this is as far as the source, though Berger's good with rumors and such....

One person in Arenas' camp believes there is a certain star-starved team in northeast Ohio that should take a chance on him. To the extent that both Arenas and the Cavaliers are starting over, it makes sense.

"They've both been burned," the person in Arenas' camp said of the Cavs. "They need a fresh start the same way Gilbert does."

Unfortunately, Arenas probably will have to look elsewhere for the fresh start he's seeking. Sources say Arenas "won't be an option" for the Cavs, who prefer to maintain their flexibility heading into the uncertainty of a new collective bargaining agreement. Arenas' contract, his emotional state and his health will make him too much of a gamble for most teams; don't forget, because of injuries, he'd played only 15 games in the two seasons before the suspension-shortened 2009-10 season.

"Stephen Jackson reinvented himself because he got traded," one of Arenas' confidants said. "Ron Artest won a ring because he got out of Indiana. [Without a trade], Stephen Jackson and Ron Artest were never going to get past their incidents, and I don't think Gilbert will, either. The scars are still too fresh on both sides."

http://www.cbssports.com/nba/story/1409 ... aves-first

This article as a whole will probably piddle many folks off and might well be off base, but there's the secondary point of Berger and rumors (in other words, yes, he might not have a handle on things in a holistic sense, but that doesn't mean he hasn't heard something).

Thing is, I can't remember a lot of "leaks" out of "Gil's camp". Actually, I didn't know he had a camp, but....



The wiretap snippet was this...

Wizards guard Gilbert Arenas has looked lost this preseason and has mentioned "moving on" while talking to the press.

Ken Berger of CBS Sports reports that the Magic and Mavericks flirted with the idea of trading for Arenas this summer.

The framework of a trade that would have sent Arenas to Orlando in exchange for Vince Carter was discussed, but the cost and length of the former's contract caused Magic general manager Otis Smith to pass on the deal.

Dallas also thought about pursuing Arenas, but nothing materialized.

I don't know, I thought there would be some interest at one point, but all this talk of a hard cap has to give the big spenders MAJOR pause as their entire model of "spending huge money to compete" could get blown out of order to where they're forced to deconstruct on the fly if they did something drastic like this.

[Hoopalotta]

Well, on balance, the article's not soooo bad for the national media regardless of what anyone thinks of the conclusions. In tone, more Sam Spade than Robespierre.

Just wait till Wojo from Yahoo gets in on the act. Berger's Marry freakin' Poppins in a Sunday frock compared with Chief Executioner Wojo.

Alright, is Berger's source Jamison?

[Shanghai Kid]

The media seems to be pushing hard for Gilbert to be traded.

[Wizardspride]

How exactly has Gilbert looked "lost" this preseason?

[no D in Hibachi]

How exactly has Gilbert looked "lost" this preseason?

Thats what I was thinking, but the media will write whatever they want regardless.

[20MexicanosIn1Van]

The media seems to be pushing hard for Gilbert to be traded.

First it was Lebron and friends, then CP3, then Melo, now Arenas. They just need something to talk about.

[Chocolate City Jordanaire]

How exactly has Gilbert looked "lost" this preseason?

Thats what I was thinking, but the media will write whatever they want regardless.

You guys beat me to it. Gil has looked lost?

Gil seems to have found his shot and his quickness. He's playing within a team concept. The wiretap author--not the guy who broke the story of ORL and DAL potential trades, has an agenda against Gil.

[KiNgSbOi]

Interesting about Gil being "lost" out there. I see why Arenas hates the media, there won't be much positivity coming out of the media unless he plays like an all-star again and then they can jump right back on the bandwagon. Even then, just on his name alone, there will always be nit pickers and naysayers putting down Gil, he just needs to ignore all that and play the game the way he knows best. He will be just fine if he does so.

[closg00]

So there was something to the rumor after all. Ironic, Ernie and Gilbert wanted to part-ways, but in the end the both they were done-in by that bloated deal they agreed to.