Will Gilbert Arenas ever be embraced by the Wizards again?

[20MexicanosIn1Van]

Gilbert Arenas was a great player for the Wizards. The best player we've had in at least 20 years. He was also very good for the community; denoted hundreds of thousands of dollars to various charities and local DC public schools, became a father figure to a local boy who lost his family and home in a fire, and gave his jersey to fans after every game.

How the Wizards used him as a scapegoat always left a sour taste in my mouth. Will they ever reconcile with him? Retire his jersey? Give him a position as a scout/coach/whatever? Invite him to some home games? If they did any of these things, how will the fans react?

[nate33]

Gilbert Arenas was a great player for the Wizards. The best player we've had in at least 20 years. He was also very good for the community; denoted hundreds of thousands of dollars to various charities and local DC public schools, became a father figure to a local boy who lost his family and home in a fire, and gave his jersey to fans after every game.

How the Wizards used him as a scapegoat always left a sour taste in my mouth. Will they ever reconcile with him? Retire his jersey? Give him a position as a scout/coach/whatever? Invite him to some home games? If they did any of these things, how will the fans react?

I don't think they "used him as a scapegoat". Arenas was the guy who insensitively made the finger gun motion during a game right when Stern and company were scrutinizing him and the Wizards organization.

They then brought Arenas back and even put him in as a starter. He just wasn't very good anymore so they dumped his contract. Clearly, it was the right move because he wasn't very good in Orlando either and he was ultimately amnestied.

I don't know to what degree there is "bad blood" between Arenas and Leonsis. At any rate, I'm not sure what would be the rationale to reembrace him like a hometown hero. Will that bring in more fans? I think not. Will it help forge a historical relationship between the present and the past? I'm not sure why we would want that. The past pretty much stunk. We had one 45-win season and one 2nd round playoff appearance.

[J-Ves]

As a fan of Arenas I would love to see his number retired, but like Nate said there isn't much reason for the club to do it. In fact, the national media would slay the Wizards if they did it, considering his bad image outside of DC.


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[jivelikenice]

I'd have a tough time embracing him. He had a chance to come back and be a mentor here to Wall and be a part of the rebuild but he chose not too. They traded him to a good situation and he seemed to take shots and put the blame here whenever he could. I'm a huge fan of his and appreciated what he did, but Gil's immaturity was his undoing and is a large reason why I can't see him ever being a part of this organization or embraced here again

[Dark Faze]

Main issue is he's a west coast guy on top of being immature. No doubt he was great for the city and great as a player, but he's not even close to showing the type of maturity or work ethic it would take to bring him back to the DC in an FO or honorary role.

And I don't mean work ethic on the court--but just towards being an assistant coach, scout, gm, etc.

[pineappleheadindc]

Time heals all wounds. I echo what Nate said about Gil's behavior.

That being said, people change and grow up and -- eventually -- Gill will too. If he hasn't already. One of Ted Leonsis' nice initiatives is the Bullets/Wizards alumni association and in the fullness of time, I hope the Gil will become a member of it and contribute to both the association and the organization.

Don't see us retiring his number though. Not enough longevity nor accomplishment (unless you're grading on the Bullets/Wizards curve. Which you should not be doing).

My dos centavos.

[20MexicanosIn1Van]

Gilbert Arenas was a great player for the Wizards. The best player we've had in at least 20 years. He was also very good for the community; denoted hundreds of thousands of dollars to various charities and local DC public schools, became a father figure to a local boy who lost his family and home in a fire, and gave his jersey to fans after every game.

How the Wizards used him as a scapegoat always left a sour taste in my mouth. Will they ever reconcile with him? Retire his jersey? Give him a position as a scout/coach/whatever? Invite him to some home games? If they did any of these things, how will the fans react?

I don't think they "used him as a scapegoat". Arenas was the guy who insensitively made the finger gun motion during a game right when Stern and company were scrutinizing him and the Wizards organization.

They then brought Arenas back and even put him in as a starter. He just wasn't very good anymore so they dumped his contract. Clearly, it was the right move because he wasn't very good in Orlando either and he was ultimately amnestied.

I don't know to what degree there is "bad blood" between Arenas and Leonsis. At any rate, I'm not sure what would be the rationale to reembrace him like a hometown hero. Will that bring in more fans? I think not. Will it help forge a historical relationship between the present and the past? I'm not sure why we would want that. The past pretty much stunk. We had one 45-win season and one 2nd round playoff appearance.

I think it would make the fans happy. I know I would like it. At the very least, his jersey should be retired. He is easily the best player we've had in at least 20 years and probably more like 30.

[montestewart]

Everybody, group hug

[verbal8]

I think it would make the fans happy. I know I would like it. At the very least, his jersey should be retired. He is easily the best player we've had in at least 20 years and probably more like 30.

The peak of Arenas career was great for the Wizards. However I think it was too short and did not involve enough play-off success to get his number retired. He had a couple good seasons and then 3 all-star seasons.

Every number the Bullets have retired has been a hall of famer - Monroe, Gus Johnson, Hayes and Wes Unseld. Arenas doesn't look like he had a Hall of Fame career. He definitely was a star, but he is the level below the Hall of Fame and Retired Number crowd.

I do hope at some point Arenas is recognized as part of the franchise's past. Even though it ended badly, he brought a lot of excitement and did a lot for the city.

[Soup's Uncle]

Too much of a flash in the pan (short span of greatness). Too much controversy at the end.

[Ruzious]

I concur with Pine's time heals all wounds comment. I think it'll take a decade or so and probably happen sooner if the team has some success. Success is second best to time in healing wounds.

[Illmatic21]

Gilbert doesn't need a position as a coach, he's doing quite alright in life.

Personally I have nothing against him and would embrace him with open arms, but I doubt he has any desire to come back to DC. He's a Cali kid and seems to be settled down quite nicely in LA.

[verbal8]

Gilbert doesn't need a position as a coach, he's doing quite alright in life.

Personally I have nothing against him and would embrace him with open arms, but I doubt he has any desire to come back to DC. He's a Cali kid and seems to be settled down quite nicely in LA.

Yeah he looks like he is doing pretty well.

http://www.washingtonpost.com/blogs/dc- ... -contract/

[montestewart]

Gilbert doesn't need a position as a coach, he's doing quite alright in life.

Personally I have nothing against him and would embrace him with open arms, but I doubt he has any desire to come back to DC. He's a Cali kid and seems to be settled down quite nicely in LA.

Yeah he looks like he is doing pretty well.

http://www.washingtonpost.com/blogs/dc- ... -contract/

Sure wish I could afford Arenas-quality TP

[barelyawake]

Love Arenas and always will.

Arenas doesn't have off the court work ethic? I haven't ever heard of a player with a greater work ethic, off the court, than Arenas (which is something I severely respected about Arenas -- to add to the number of things I respect about him). But, I don't think he has the mentality for a coach.

[jivelikenice]

Can't question his work ethic, but look what he left. Aside from the gun incident and the fallout, he mentored guys like Dray & NY and his immaturity was instilled in them. You can see the Gil affect when they come back and play here.

[daSwami]

pretty sure that bridge is well burnt. I hate that his legacy in DC is so tainted, but he can only blame himself for never having reached an adult-level of emotional maturity. Sucks, cuz I really loved the guy.

[diaboliQ_Mo]

Wonder if Gil receives Wash Bullets/Wiz Allumni Assoc invi now. Wonder if CWebb does too.

[truwizfan4evr]

We should retired his jersey.

[hands11]

Simple answer to that question is NO

The story of Gilbert and the Wizards will always be a tragic one of wasted talent and bad judgement.

Time isn't going to change that.