Is there anyway Gil gets the Max next year from anyone?

[Ji]

I think this knee injury is going to cost him big.

No way he will get the max deal from anyone. I think we should be able to easily sign him for 10-11 million a year and then we hold our breath that he dosent break.

[MJG]

Not unless EG and Pollin are feeling generous.

[nate33]

We've had this discussion a million times.

I don't understand why he is opting out. With his injuries, and the current status of the free agency market, it's really going to cost him.

[JWizmentality]

We've had this discussion a million times.

I don't understand why he is opting out. With his injuries, and the current status of the free agency market, it's really going to cost him.

Maybe he was planning to take a paycut from the very beginning.

[Ji]

He can still back out and not opt out?

[queridiculo]

I'd be surprised if Arenas opts out after the way this season has went. There definitely isn't going to be a market for him with all the questions that surround his health, and teams are probably going to look at how "well" we've been doing without him.

If he does opt out it will give us some leverage in terms of overall compensation.

[JAR69]

Nate - If Gil doesn't opt-out, how does this impact our cap/lux tax situation for this off-season and next? If you went over this elsewhere, feel free to point me in the right direction.

[dlts20]

you guys are crazy. Have you seen the money guys have been getting paid? You think no one will pay a guy that can average 30ppg and put fans in the seats? Hell yeah he will get the max. Plus, GM's do there homework. Its not like he has sucked. He's been pretty darn good since coming back except for a couple of games and I think he will soon start to pick it back up again

[Donkey McDonkerton]

game 1 he dropped 24 on one leg with EASE. Now im not saying he is getting the max, but Gil can still BALL!

[MJG]

you guys are crazy. Have you seen the money guys have been getting paid? You think no one will pay a guy that can average 30ppg and put fans in the seats? Hell yeah he will get the max. Plus, GM's do there homework. Its not like he has sucked. He's been pretty darn good since coming back except for a couple of games and I think he will soon start to pick it back up again

Can you name which team(s) might offer him the max?

[Rafael122]

No one.

Smart money (but this is Gil after all) is for him to pick up his option and play out the final year. Nobody would care if he goes back on his word and he picks up his option, considering what he's been through. If he starts to blow up again, I'd try my hardest to sign him before he hits free agency.

[closg00]

He doesn't opt out, no team wants to max what could be the next Grant Hill....and I hope we don't over-pay also.

[newslowsad]

Ernie is not an idiot. He is not going to give Gil max money.

[Sid the Squid]

If Baron opts out the GS warriors will offer Gil a sh*tload of cash.

[bgwizarfan]

one option is to just give Gil an extension of his current contract. I don't have the numbers in front of me, but Gil could forgo the ETO and just agree to an extension (like KG did last season) and we could extend him 4 years past the 2008-2009 season (extensions for non-rookie scale contracts can be 5 years total, including what's left on the contract).

The maximum amount in that 1st season would be 110.5% of the 2008-2009 salary for Gil and that he could have 10.5% raises in between (based on the 2008-2009 salary) all the way up to 2012-2013. That seems fair for Gil's part. I believe the Wiz did try to extend Gilbert after last year, but he didn't want it, since he wanted a maximum contract. The above extension seems fair for Gilbert at this point, without having the exact numbers handy

[Duiz]

I don't he doesn't come to your team. You guyses should look for Kirk hinrich and some of the other free agents on the market that can add more depth and can actually WIN YOU some games.

[nate33]

If Baron opts out the GS warriors will offer Gil a sh*tload of cash.

Baron isn't opting out unless it's to resign with GS.

Memphis and Philly each have about $12.5M in cap room. Nobody else has more than $8M. Memphis and Philly aren't looking for a PG.

Why would Baron walk away from a guaranteed $17M next year when nobody else is capable of giving him more than $12.5M and nobody else is likely to give him more than $8M?

[nate33]

If Baron opts out the GS warriors will offer Gil a sh*tload of cash.

This makes sense. Gil is due to make $12.4M this year. If Gil extends his contract for 4 more years starting at $12.4M with 10.5% raises, his contract would be roughly in line with what I think he could get if he opts out completely.

[doclinkin]

one option is to just give Gil an extension of his current contract. I don't have the numbers in front of me, but Gil could forgo the ETO and just agree to an extension (like KG did last season) and we could extend him 4 years past the 2008-2009 season (extensions for non-rookie scale contracts can be 5 years total, including what's left on the contract).

The maximum amount in that 1st season would be 110.5% of the 2008-2009 salary for Gil and that he could have 10.5% raises in between (based on the 2008-2009 salary) all the way up to 2012-2013. That seems fair for Gil's part. I believe the Wiz did try to extend Gilbert after last year, but he didn't want it, since he wanted a maximum contract. The above extension seems fair for Gilbert at this point, without having the exact numbers handy

Reasonable. Except.

One aspect of why Gil wants to opt out is to shop the field and measure his value according to how much other teams really want him, and to imagine himself in other situations. Championship contenders, for instance. Who wants me?

Once he gets a taste of that, gets squired around a bit, ultimately I'd guess he'll do the smart thing and re-sign with the Wiz for a solid high-dollar contract, The smart money is here anyway, he's a natural fit, and as contenders go-- with health & experience there's no telling how far this team could go, but we're closer than most.

But Gil doesn't get to shop the field if he doesn't opt out. Kid was abandoned by his mother at a young age-- situations like this alotta times you have to prove to the kid that you really love them, even when they're acting up or trying to run away from home. (Speaking from the position of a foster parent here).

The 'max contract' thing was a negotiating position to start-- 'show me how much you love me'-- but when he realized that stance might jeopardize Antawn's situation with the team, his innate sense of justice kicked in. Antawn's the captain, hard working, consistent. He deserves to get paid and to stay with the team. He's been worth more wins than Gil has, considering his durability. He's earned more respect from Gil, the fans and the organization for how well the team has performed this year.

I suspect the injury scared the helloutta Gil. And rightly so. At any given moment your livelihood may be taken away from you, the thing you do best and love most in the whole world. That one reason he's opting out is simply to ensure security, that he'll be signed long term to a contract and he can just concentrate on doing the thing he would do for free anyway, all else being equal. The thing that he would pay any amount of money to be allowed to do the rest of his life: play all-star quality basketball for the adulation of millions. And still and all he'll be paid a ridiculous amount of money regardless in the grand scheme of things.

I think he'd prefer to not have to think about it long term and get back to just Gil being Gil: which means trying to tear up the league and destroy other teams. Reclaim his title as The East Coast Assassin. A guy like Gil, I think he'll work even harder -- if that's possible-- once the contract is inked. To prove he's worth it, and quiet the doubters, and take revenge on any team that didn't offer him a contract, and so on. To take it out on everyone who didn't show him the love or thought he wasn't quite good enough for them.

Seems that way to me. I think we'll all be pretty happy with how it works out, once Gil is back, healthy and ready to rip into the league, prove the doubters wrong, show how much BETTER the team is with Gil back, doing what they said he never could do: distribute, play defense, and still turn it on in the 4th quarter or whenever needed to positively kill 'em out there and make the statement plain; f--- a global icon, these Wiz will become The People's Champs.


Way I see it.

[tkunit]

Honestly I am ready to let trade him over the summr, and I feel really wierd typing this. Its clear we play better without him and he can't seem to get over this knee thing. But at the same time AMFJ is getting old and butler is one game away from missing 20. damn indecision.