Gilbert Arenas v. the Washington Wizards

[fishercob]

I thought this deserved a new thread. It specifically pertains to the rift between Gil and the the Wiz and the team's impending efforts to void Gilbert's contract.

It's now being reported that Gil wants out of DC because of the way the team has treated him and that the team wants to void Gil's contract.

This begs several questions:

1) WHO wants to void Gil's contract? Is it Grunfeld and the Pollin family? Is Leonsis at all involved at this stage of the game in the organizational direction? For a very public figure, Ted's been conspicuously silent on the matter. I assume it's because the succession hasn't started yet or perhaps there are problems with with it. Maybe the Pollins aren't ready to let go and want to wait for Irene to pass on before turning the team over. No idea on this.

2) WHY does the existing team brass care so much about voiding Arenas if they're on their way out? This applies to both Grunfeld and the Pollins. What worries about this as it relates to #1, is it leads me to believe that the current power structure doesn't believe they're leaving anytime soon.

3) WHY does Gil want out of DC if his beef is with a leadership that's on it's way out? If Ted were to take control, get rid of the entire front office, would Gil still feel so betrayed? I'd sure hope not, but we all know you can't predict what Gilbert is ever going to think. Again, I wonder if Gil thinks/knows that these guys aren't going anywhere just yet.

As to the specific issue at hand, I'd be pretty surprised if ultimately the Wiz were about to get out of paying Gil. They may void his contract, but he'll appeal and I think the NBAPA will win. One way or the other, this is going to be a huge black eye for this cracker jack organization.

[daSwami]

I don't blame Gil at all for wanting out. The team has treated him like he treated Blatche's shoe.

[Donkey McDonkerton]

The teams that take chances on people are the teams that win it all. Lakers, Pistons..etc.


Screw this organization, they aren't committed to winning. The Pollins should just sell the team and use that money to start a Center For Kids Who Cant Read Good And Wanna Learn To Do Other Stuff Good Too.

[fishercob]

I don't blame Gil at all for wanting out. The team has treated him like he treated Blatche's shoe.

Agreed. But will "the team" be around very long? The fans still love him, and I think that actually matters to Gil.

[Ruzious]

Good thread idea, Fish. I want to add another related question. There have been a lot of anti-Wiz management posts based on how they have dealt with this situation. Can those posters list out what the Wiz have actually done or said to make them unhappy?

[fishercob]

Good thread idea, Fish. I want to add another related question. There have been a lot of anti-Wiz management posts based on how they have dealt with this situation. Can those posters list out what the Wiz have actually done or said to make them unhappy?

It basically comes down to the team's complete non-acknowledgment of Gil as a part of the team, the removal of anything having to do with him from the VC, etc.

It is my contention that the faux-outrage over Gil is meant to distract the public from what a colossal failure the season -- and Ernie's entire tenure --was otherwise. Gil is being scapegoated and it's in really poor taste.

[yungal07]

I don't blame Gil at all for wanting out. The team has treated him like he treated Blatche's shoe.

Gimme a break. They gave the guy 127 million dollars (15 of which he gave back because even Gil himself felt it was too much) and he has barely played the past 3 years because of injury and suspensions. They gave Arenas a 5 year, 60 million dollar deal the first time when basically no team offered him that kind of money. Gilbert has become wealthy thanks to the Wizards.

If my employer treated me half as well as this franchise treated Arenas, I'd be happy as hell right now.

btw, Gilbert is gone. No need to cry over it -- the Wiz are legally entitled to void his deal. That is according to Wayne Cohen, the former President of the Trial Lawyers Association of Metropolitan Washington D.C., when asked about the case on the junkies today.

[Donkey McDonkerton]

Can those posters list out what the Wiz have actually done or said to make them unhappy?

-send him home and not let him be around his teammates
-no public statement about helping him get through this matter
-just removing all things gil (banner, etc)

[CaPtaiN eYeSaNo]

when he was successful, boy did this organization love to exploit him, and all of his quirks. when he is down and needs support the most, boy did this organization turn it's back on him. i can't wait until this front office is cleaned out. Grunfeld built a soft roster and is trying to use Gil as his scapegoat to save his own *ss.

[fishercob]

I don't blame Gil at all for wanting out. The team has treated him like he treated Blatche's shoe.

btw, Gilbert is gone. No need to cry over it -- the Wiz are legally entitled to void his deal. That is according to Wayne Cohen, the former President of the Trial Lawyers Association of Metropolitan Washington D.C., when asked about the case on the junkies today.

I heard that too, yungal. But here's the thing, Cohen doesn't know jack about the CBA, which is what really matters in the case. Furthermore, a lot is likely going to hinge on Gil's actual sentence. Anyone who claims to know for sure how this is going to end is either stupid or lying.

[verbal8]

Doesn't the CBA specifically mention not having guns on NBA premises?

Isn't it a different CBA than the one that Sprewell was able to get his voiding overturned?

[jmrosenth]

Good article on this topic: http://tinyurl.com/yaljyyy

[WizStorm]

Can those posters list out what the Wiz have actually done or said to make them unhappy?

-send him home and not let him be around his teammates
-no public statement about helping him get through this matter
-just removing all things gil (banner, etc)

- Not defending Gil in the least against all the false reports and letting the negative public opinion spiral out of control based on those false reports.
- Providing absolutely no character references or support for Gil during the entire process. Even a quick reference to all his pranks and practical jokes in the past and how he takes them way too far would've done wonders to put this incident in the proper perspective.
- Only press releases from the Wizards on this incident have been very terse, only feeding into the perception that Gil was a just the common NBA thug.
- Instead of seeing exactly how the legal process played out, the Wizards were quick on the draw to state their intentions in trying to void Gil's contract. This screamed of a team trying to opportunistically get rid of a contract of player that they don't want instead of actually trying to void the contracts on the merits.
- Before letting the legal process play itself out and before knowing if Gil would be back in a Wizards' uniform, the team was just way to eager to wipe the entire slate clean like Gil was never even part of the Wizards' organization. Not selling or displaying jerseys anywhere at the arena, removing all Gil banners, removing his image and likeness from all displays, removing the number 0 from everything and everywhere. It took a real concerted effort to wipe his image clean like Gil was an embarrasment to the organization during his entire tenure in DC.

[ihatewes]

I like this tread too. My main concern is that, assuming the Wizards cannot void Gil's contract, the Wiz need to have handled the entire matter in a way that preserves the value of Gil as an asset, so they could eventually trade him for something worthwhile. They didn't need to 100% support Gil, but somehow appearing more neutral, to avoid pissing of Gil too much and giving the appearance to the rest of the league that they might want him back, would've let them possibly get something decent back from another team. Now it just looks like they want him at all costs, so every other team will just wait. Question: Let's say the Wiz tell Gil that he's not gonna play for them ever again, even if they have to pay him, could they work out some kind of buy-out, say for 1/2 of what he's owed, that would allow Gil to play for another team, and basically get paid by both. The Wiz would have to eat alot of money, but this would save them some money and let them move on more quickly. I just don't seem them being able to void the contract. If Sprewell got paid, then Gil will too.

[Ruzious]

- Instead of seeing exactly how the legal process played out, the Wizards were quick on the draw to state their intentions in trying to void Gil's contract. This screamed of a team trying to opportunistically get rid of a contract of player that they don't want instead of actually trying to void the contracts on the merits.

Okay, this is the key non-opinion (Either they said it, or they didn't.) point that I had not heard. Did they actually say they intend to try to void his contract?

[Hoopalotta]

There have been lots of 'reports' that they 'said' they intended to void the deal; not very substantive kind of stuff though. TMZ said that Ernie was texting Gil this kind of thing, for example.

It's uncertain but the buzz has been such.

[dartherus]

I cant believe that people exist who blame the wizards in this situation....

This guy has millions of dollars, the wizards mgmt did not force him to carry guns into the locker room...ANYONE committing crimes should pay for their felony....why Arenas would have special treatment?

Arenas kind of player is a cancer for any team, face it...compare this kind of player with the attitude, leadership, personal life, intelligence or team awarenes of Tim Duncan and you'll know what I'm talking about.

[Ruzious]

There have been lots of 'reports' that they 'said' they intended to void the deal; not very substantive kind of stuff though. TMZ said that Ernie was texting Gil this kind of thing, for example.

It's uncertain but the buzz has been such.

TMZ and buzz; so that makes it fact?

Shouldn't we wait til the National Enquirer chips in?

[TheSecretWeapon]

I can think of a few possible motivations for why team brass (meaning Grunfeld and his executives) would like to void Arenas's contract.

1. Revenge. They may want to punish Arenas severely for what they view as him screwing up the franchise and screwing up their careers. The only real currency in the NBA is money and playing time.

2. Hope. They may think that if they can move quickly enough to gut the team and lay a new foundation that they could actually end up keeping their jobs with the team.

3. Denial. Voiding Arenas's contract sorta puts a bow on the "All of this is Gil's fault" package. The front office may get to pyschologically say "no my fault" if Arenas receives such a stiff punishment.

4. Responsibility. It could be that Ernie & company view themselves as ultimately responsible for the mess. It could be that they will take the steps they think are best to rectify the situation until they're fired.

5. Wrecking Crew. It's possible that Ted has told them to be the "heavies" in voiding Gil's contract and tearing the team down. Then when Ted finishes purchasing the team, he lets them go with a thanks, a bonus and a good recommendation, and then brings in his own front office to rebuild from scratch.

6. Panic. It's possible they don't have any idea what to do, so they're going to do something, and trying to void Arenas's contract is definitely not nothing.

[AceDegenerate]

http://i29.tinypic.com/331hm9u.gif