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2nd UPDATE!!!!!!!!!!




If that turns out to be true then you know there is some very bad blood between him and the Franchise. This wont end pretty and it seems that would open it up for the Wiz & Gil to reach a buyout. Lets hope thats just a rumor like most of the stories have been.



Arenas to be suspended for remainder of season

A person familiar with the meeting between Gilbert Arenas and NBA Commissioner David Stern said on Wednesday that the three-time all-star guard requested to be suspended for the remainder of the season and sources said that Stern plans to abide by the appeal. According to the person, Arenas also told Stern that he would tell the players' union not to fight the season. Stern will announce his ruling later this afternoon.

The same source said that during the meeting, Arenas asked Stern about the possibility of having the remaining four years of his six-year $111 million contract voided, to which Stern replied, "That would be left up to the team." He also informed Arenas that members of the Wizards organization had yet made an inquiry about voiding his contract to the NBA's legal department.

Arenas also has intimated to friends, the NBA and legal representatives that he has no desire to play for Wizards President Ernie Grunfeld again, according to a person familiar with Arenas's situation.










Its Now Official


Arenas, Crittenton suspended for remainder of season (updated)

NBA Commissioner David Stern today suspended Wizards star Gilbert Arenas and reserve Javaris Crittenton for the remainder of the season.

In a statement, Stern explained that there was no question that the players violated the Collective Bargaining Agreement by bringing guns into the Verizon Center locker room.

"The issue here is not about the legal ownership and possession of guns, either in one's home or elsewhere," Stern said in a statement. "It is about possession of guns in the NBA workplace, which will not be tolerated."

http://voices.washingtonpost.com/wizard ... rdsinsider

A person familiar with today's meeting between Gilbert Arenas and NBA Commissioner David Stern said the Wizards' three-time all-star guard requested to be suspended for the remainder of the season and sources said that Stern plans to abide by the request.

According to the person, who spoke on condition of anonymity, Arenas also told Stern that he would tell the players' union not to fight the suspension.

Stern will announce his ruling later this afternoon.

Wow

If that's really what Gil requested, it's got his attorney's prints all over it. Most pundits were expecting him to be gone for the rest of the season anyway and then you had the rumor that Stern was going to make it 2 seasons. So if that was probably going to happen anyway, why not be proactive and ask for it? Maybe Stern will think you're learning your lesson and keep it at just one season.

Also, being gone for the rest of the year means he's losing most of his salary for this year. Having that drastic a loss of income could be spun to get the judge to say "he's volunteering to lose money over this, why throw the book at him". Like I said - it's got his attorney's prints all over it. I highly doubt any of this reflects Gil's actual feelings (whatever they may be).

Maybe Gil just doesn't want to deal with all the negative scrutiny from both fans and media - that would hound him 24/7 if he starts playing again this season. There'll be a helluvalot less scrutiny next season. Who knows what goes on in the mind of Arenas? That is the first time I've heard a player ask to be suspended for the rest of the season.

LyricalRico wrote:If that's really what Gil requested, it's got his attorney's prints all over it. Most pundits were expecting him to be gone for the rest of the season anyway and then you had the rumor that Stern was going to make it 2 seasons. So if that was probably going to happen anyway, why not be proactive and ask for it? Maybe Stern will think you're learning your lesson and keep it at just one season.

Also, being gone for the rest of the year means he's losing most of his salary for this year. Having that drastic a loss of income could be spun to get the judge to say "he's volunteering to lose money over this, why throw the book at him". Like I said - it's got his attorney's prints all over it. I highly doubt any of this reflects Gil's actual feelings (whatever they may be).

IDK man, I dont see Gil listening to his lawyer on that. I mean, Stern could still lay down the law and he could come back. He couldve given Gil 30-40 games which is pretty harsh but Gil couldve come back late and maybe he only wouldve gotten 25. I think Gil wouldve takened his chance if he wanted to. If he requested this then I think its all Gil. Also, no one would accept that because it totally opens the gates for a team to void your contract. If this request is true then I think its Gil and not the lawyer but you could be right

Ruzious wrote:Maybe Gil just doesn't want to deal with all the negative scrutiny from both fans and media - that would hound him 24/7 if he starts playing again this season. There'll be a helluvalot less scrutiny next season. Who knows what goes on in the mind of Arenas? That is the first time I've heard a player ask to be suspended for the rest of the season.

I actually feel the other way around. I think he could come back late and it will be less because we will probably be out of it and everyone would be reving up for the playoffs so it would be a back story in the NBA. Now this will go all Offseason and will be a hot topic at the start of next year if you ask me

Remember, Critt met with the Commish yesterday. He likely gave an account of the story that made Arenas look really bad. On one hand, maybe Gil didn't want to mess up Critt's career any more than he already has. On another hand, maybe Critt's story if true was rough enough to warrant a longer suspension for Arenas. There are literally a ton of conclusions we can jump to.

dlts20 wrote:

Ruzious wrote:Maybe Gil just doesn't want to deal with all the negative scrutiny from both fans and media - that would hound him 24/7 if he starts playing again this season. There'll be a helluvalot less scrutiny next season. Who knows what goes on in the mind of Arenas? That is the first time I've heard a player ask to be suspended for the rest of the season.

I actually feel the other way around. I think he could come back late and it will be less because we will probably be out of it and everyone would be reving up for the playoffs so it would be a back story in the NBA. Now this will go all Offseason and will be a hot topic at the start of next year if you ask me

His sentencing (March 26th?) is going to make this a big story until... March 26th.

I think he could just want out now because he feels betrayed and I dont think he likes Flip's Offense all that much anyways, lol. I could see him trying to negotiate like a 30mil buyout or something and we save 50 or whatever, plus what we didnt have to pay him for him missing all these games this year. He also took 16mil less so I guess he figures that he will have payed up if they give him 30. He can then take that 30 and sign a 1yr 10mil deal with some team next year and if he plays great then he will get a big contract the following season and more than make up for what he lost. Thats a long ways away though so Ill just wait for official word

I think Gil requested it for two reasons. One, so that he could show that he was finally treating the situation with the proper respect it deserves.

Second, because he feels betrayed by the team and doesn't want to come back late in the year and play for the people who obviously didn't have his back.

He knows that Leonsis is taking over before next year and that there's a fairly good chance the Ernie won't be here at that point. One key point I took out of the Insider article was that he didn't want to play for Grunfeld, not that he didn't want to play for the Wizards anymore.

"Arenas also has intimated to friends, the NBA and legal representatives that he has no desire to play for Wizards President Ernie Grunfeld again, according to a person familiar with Arenas's situation."

He obviously doesn't want his contract voided and he knows that if it's not there's a decent chance the team can't trade him even if they want to so he might be stuck here for a while. By sitting out the rest of this year, he can at least assure himself that he doesn't have to play for the GM or current owners who wanted his image stricken from everything related to the team. At least if he comes back next year, he can get a fresh start with new management assuming Grunfeld is gone (which is looking like a very possible scenario).

So, for the cap experts, does this - assuming no other moves are made - get the Wiz out of the lux tax situation for the 2009/2010 season?

One key point I took out of the Insider article was that he didn't want to play for Grunfeld, not that he didn't want to play for the Wizards anymore.

yeah, i thought that was interesting wording there too. i guess it's another year in the tank. go terps!

Wow. I think he's done as a Wizard.

I guess it's time to change the avatar...

Soup's Uncle wrote:Wow. I think he's done as a Wizard.

Ya think?!!

GetInMyBelly wrote:

One key point I took out of the Insider article was that he didn't want to play for Grunfeld, not that he didn't want to play for the Wizards anymore.

yeah, i thought that was interesting wording there too. i guess it's another year in the tank. go terps!

Yes, that is very heartening to hear. I'm sure Gil knows that the pure-business/zero-loyalty and compassion was all from the top in the Pollin/EG regime. A new start from a new ownership with a new president/GM hopefully can quickly wipe away the negative anti-player image the Wizards currently have. I just hope that EG is shown the door as soon as the ownership issue is settled and doesn't do any further damage in the meantime with some more bad trades.

As for the year-long suspension ... i'm not sure who to believe between the Post story (Gil's idea for year long suspension) or from Yahoo! where Stern gave Gil choice for the rest of the year and agree not to protest or a full 82 games that would go into next season. The Yahoo! version of events seem the most probable.

I do believe however that the Player's Union would have a VERY good case to get Gil back on the court this season. But again, aside from money, there is very little motivation to come back during a lost season and playing for an owner/GM that you absolutely detest.

I don't think he is necessarily done as a Wizard. I think this was a calculated decision by Gilbert/Gilbert's people, because, as jimij said, this sets up the potential scenario where the new owner gets to decide between Ernie and Gil.

If Gil came back in 25 games or whatever, then, assuming the feelings between Gil and Ernie are mutual, it would force Ernie's hand as far as sending him home or trading him, which would create even more of a headache and black eye on this season. Instead, Gil sits out and avoids the awkwardness of that kind of situation, plus, assuming he actually does want to be a Wizard (just not under Ernie), he avoids the risk of getting traded.

And if/when it comes down to the choice between Ernie and Gil, in my opinion it's a pretty easy one. Notwithstanding Gil's poor/criminal decision making, Ernie's time here has come to an end.

Reading the recap from ESPN, it sounded like Gil WANTED his contract to be voided. Gil wants to start-over fresh with another team it appears.

I just hope we can get the contract voided before FA officially begins....

From a very simplistic point of view, it appears Gil will not be on this team next season. He isn't happy here, doesn't like how the organization has treated him and would be fine with getting his contract voided.

But looking at it a little closer, it might not be that simple. As others have said, it's the wording that makes this situation very interesting. He said he didn't want to play for Grunfeld but Grunfeld may not be on this team much longer. He meant to say that, by the way. It wasn't an accident. I am 100% sure that Gilbert still loves D.C and I am 100% sure Gilbert still loves the fans of D.C. He seems to have a special place in his heart for those here...just not Grunfeld for obvious reasons.

Where does the truth lie? Who knows. This is Gilbert we're talking about here.

The real question is what do we, as hard-core fans, want to see out of this mess?

Do we want Grunfeld to get canned and Gilbert and his contract to stay?
Do we want Grunfeld to remain GM and Gilbert's contract voided?
Do we want Grunfeld out and for Gilbert's contract voided?