OT: Gilbert Arenas running a great scam

[UCFJayBird]

So I'm sitting here, watching 1st and 10 on ESPN, and I can't believe these guys get paid to talk about this stuff. Because they're talking about Gilbert "settling" for $111 mil instead of $127 or whatever that he could've gotten, because he wants management to have more money to go out and get other players.

The two guys, and the girl hosting, start talking about how it's a great move by Arenas because it gives him great publicity, makes him out to be a team player, and it puts the burden on Washington's management to go out and get players. They basically slurp it up and start talking about who the Wizards should go out and get.

None of them bring up the fact that this is just Gilbert pandering to the fans and the media. This doesn't help the Wizards have more money to go out and get players at all. Let's be honest here. The Wizards have a 41 million dollar payroll without Arenas and Jamison. Arenas is getting 18.5 mil/year. Even being conservative that puts the first year salary at like 14 mil. So no matter what Jamison gets there going well over the salary cap.

Meaning the Wizards have exactly what they would have to work with if he took the max. It will take a good 3-4 years when every other player comes off the books, including Caron Butler is gone and they have to be fiscally conservative in paying players to have any cap space that year too.

I just don't understand how paid professionals gloss over this and don't expose it for what is, Arenas fooling the casual fan into thinking he's being a team player. It's a great move by Arenas in terms of public relations, but I'd expect paid professionals to call him out on his crap.

Ugh.

[UCF]

I feel bad for Wiz fans, because even with both of those guys back... I'm not sure they are gonna have much success. Agent 0 only cares about getting paid and that's the truth. He doesn't deserve a max deal after being hurt all season. Butler is their only chance of being a great team. That boy can play and getting him for Kwame was a straight up robbery in the long run.

[magicfan4life05]

I think it's a fair deal for both sides.

But you bring up a good point, this team is already over the salary cap, so with arenas leaving 16 million on the table, exactly how much will that do to help them other than staying away from luxury tax?

it's a 6 year deal, so 16/6 is 2.6667, so basically the wizards are saving 2.6667 per year for the next 6 years. Harldy that big of a deal, especially with a 100 plus million dollar contract.

Again, I think it'll help for luxury tax purposes, but to acquire new players to help them? not sure about it....

[UCFJayBird]

I don't know. Arenas missed 60 games last year, and Butler 30 games. And they still managed to win 42 games (I think that's right). So if they can stay healthy they could be really dangerous.

But at the same time they need to put some quality people around them. And actually I think they should trade Jamison for a more traditional post player. I just don't think those 3 mix well for a championship caliber team.

[Shishnizzle]

I don't know what will happen, but I would be real nervous paying a guy that much money that has been on the bench with knee problems for a year and a half, and he is no spring chicken.

[Rccanes2311]

I feel bad for Wiz fans, because even with both of those guys back... I'm not sure they are gonna have much success. Agent 0 only cares about getting paid and that's the truth. He doesn't deserve a max deal after being hurt all season. Butler is their only chance of being a great team. That boy can play and getting him for Kwame was a straight up robbery in the long run.

Say what you want, but Arenas is a great salesman. You know what he probably did showed the GM Lewis's stats from this year and his career stats and said this guy is making the max. So the GM was like I see your point and gave him the contract.

[Bucs80]

We just opened a can of madness

If we just paid Rashard Lewis to the Max 85 Million (Which still would still be a terrible deal)

Superstars in the future now are now gonna get over 100 million.

And I say not that many people will deserve it. And they will be introuble.

Lebron James/Kobe Bryant/Chris Paul are probably the only 3 players now. Age reasons kick in aswell too. Who deserve over 100 million

[Rccanes2311]

We just opened a can of madness

If we just paid Rashard Lewis to the Max 85 Million (Which still would still be a terrible deal)

Superstars in the future now are now gonna get over 100 million.

And I say not that many people will deserve it. And they will be introuble.

Lebron James/Kobe Bryant/Chris Paul are probably the only 3 players now. Age reasons kick in aswell too. Who deserve over 100 million

Howard needs to be in there as well.

[aleZ]

We just opened a can of madness
If we just paid Rashard Lewis to the Max 85 Million (Which still would still be a terrible deal)

We'd reached this point anyway, you think athletes wouldn't demand that much money if it wasn't for Shard? Someone else would set the record for him. The real issue will arise if the ratings go down, less ppl attend the games and sponsors aren't so many. But the NBA's globalization should take care of that...

[Rccanes2311]

We just opened a can of madness
If we just paid Rashard Lewis to the Max 85 Million (Which still would still be a terrible deal)

We'd reached this point anyway, you think athletes wouldn't demand that much money if it wasn't for Shard? Someone else would set the record for him. The real issue will arise if the ratings go down, less ppl attend the games and sponsors aren't so many. But the NBA's globalization should take care of that...

Yea is was the same day the Magic signed a guy who has the numbers of somone who should be paid no more than 60-70 million dollars a 118 million dollar contract. Same exact day as a matter of fact.

[Wizardspride]

he is no spring chicken.

Gilbert Arenas is only 26.

[magicfanatic23]

I feel bad for the Wizards fans. They are basically investing their whole future for the next 5 years on the fact that MAYBE Arenas and the other will stay healthy and MAYBE they can actually make it past the 1st round of the playoffs. Idk seems like a bad plan to me.

[Shishnizzle]

he is no spring chicken.

Gilbert Arenas is only 26.

Oh thats not bad. I was thinking he was older than that. He looks older. I still don't think he will ever be the same player he once was after the injury, but we will see. I have been wrong before.

[SOUL]

We just opened a can of madness

If we just paid Rashard Lewis to the Max 85 Million (Which still would still be a terrible deal)

Superstars in the future now are now gonna get over 100 million.

And I say not that many people will deserve it. And they will be introuble.

Lebron James/Kobe Bryant/Chris Paul are probably the only 3 players now. Age reasons kick in aswell too. Who deserve over 100 million

Howard needs to be in there as well.

I doubt bucs would ever add anybody from our team in somethnig positive

[microfib4thewin]

Maybe another team would have set precedence, but it would help not to have signed Rashard to that kind of contract. I think Kevin Martin is a good benchmark of how much a non-franchise allstar should be paid.

[silent4418]

One reason Arenas didn't mind taking less money is that he negotiated without an agent...meaning no cut off the top getting yanked out of his pocket.

[damo[23]]

Fair enough;

I think if he dropped below that 100 mil then no one could say a word wrong about him, but its nice enough to save his team a bit of cash.

[Rccanes2311]

The best scam being run in sports the ones that are being run by Ray Lewis and Kobe Bryant hands down and it's not even close. Gil has nothing at all on those two.

[magicfan4life05]

^ how so?

[Rccanes2311]

^ how so?

Kobe's Mr. Nice guy routine and Ray Lewis's Relgious God's Linebacker crap remember Ray Lewis killed a man, but wasn't convicted because he's got the money for good lawyers while his victims didn't. I'm a Ray Lewis fan and I think he's full of crap.