<div class='quotetop'>QUOTE </div><div class='quotemain'>Both the Washington Wizards and Golden State Warriors have offered Gilbert Arenas max deals, according to a source close to the three-time All-Star point guard. The Wizards early Tuesday morning offered Arenas a six-year $127 million deal, according to the source, and the Warriors offered Arenas five years for $101 million. The Wizards, because Arenas was under contract with them, are permitted to offer six years while other teams can offer only five.</div> The Washington Times <div class='quotetop'>QUOTE </div><div class='quotemain'>According to a source close to Arenas, the three-time all star is mulling the offers but is leaning towards staying with the Wizards and is willing to take less than the maximum if it will help Ernie Grunfeld make other moves he needs to make this summer. Also, I heard from a very reliable source that the Sacramento Kings contacted Arenas and said they are willing to do "whatever it takes" to land his services even if they have to "trade their entire team."</div> Washington Post <div class='quotetop'>QUOTE </div><div class='quotemain'>Because of his $35 million deal with Adidas, Gilbert Arenas has flexibility and -- according to a close friend of the guard -- could consider signing for another team for less if it meant having a greater chance at contending for a title more quickly. But the source added Arenas has not scheduled any visits with other teams and will not consider fielding outside inquiries until any possible scenario that includes a return to the District is ruled out.</div> Washington Times
Ehhh. This just boggles my mind. WTF. Why Arenas? Elton Brand I can see, but Arenas??? Did Cohan have sleepless nights over losing him or something? This sounds like another bad decision on the part of Cohan and the Warriors .
Kings after Arenas? Weren't they one of the teams that passed on Arenas on the draft, and Arenas kept talking about those teams every time he got a chance. lol
<div class='quotetop'>QUOTE (CelticKing @ Jul 1 2008, 11:25 AM) <{POST_SNAPBACK}></div><div class='quotemain'>Kings after Arenas? Weren't they one of the teams that passed on Arenas on the draft, and Arenas kept talking about those teams every time he got a chance. lol</div> Every team passed on him. He just likes to have a chip on his shoulder, just like at Arizona where he wore #0 because people told him he would get no minutes under Lute Olsen.
If this is true, it means that the contract negotiations between the Warriors and Baron were getting ugly and the Warriors were already under the impression that Baron was going to opt out, which he did. I really wonder how much this has to do with Tom Ramasar being a dumbass than Baron being selfish. Probably a combination of both, but I really think player agents in this day in age just have their head up their you know what... I wouldn't mind seeing Arenas back here but I am still hopeful we can get Baron + a big and somehow make it all work under the salary cap.
Arenas is highly entertaining, but in a basketball sense, this moves doesn't really add up as far as making the Warriors better. I'd rather give Baron a (shorter) version of that max contract than give that pay that much for Arenas.
<div class='quotetop'>QUOTE (ryan @ Jul 1 2008, 12:33 PM) <{POST_SNAPBACK}></div><div class='quotemain'><div class='quotetop'>QUOTE (CelticKing @ Jul 1 2008, 11:25 AM) <{POST_SNAPBACK}></div><div class='quotemain'>Kings after Arenas? Weren't they one of the teams that passed on Arenas on the draft, and Arenas kept talking about those teams every time he got a chance. lol</div> Every team passed on him. He just likes to have a chip on his shoulder, just like at Arizona where he wore #0 because people told him he would get no minutes under Lute Olsen. </div> Lakers, Denver, NY, Phoenix, Milwaukee, Indy, Dallas, and Miami didn't pass on them (correct me if I'm wrong with that list). Wouldn't it be nice if he treated one of those teams...Arenas-AI-Melo, anyone?
It will be hard to build on Arenas... He gets all the cash and he complains when there's nobody around him to make the team a winner. Meanwhile he's taking a lot of shots, he's not playing much D, he's too mercurial and erratic to be a leader that other teammates would listen to. His biggest plus, is he's a go-to player in the 4th and he won't miss much from the foul line. He's a bit like Kobe Bryant in some ways, but obviously not as good. So teams that don't mind a guard taking 20 shots a game might like him. He is definitely more unstoppable than Baron Davis and he's an x-factor that can lead teams to victories. But again, he's stranger and more erratic than most franchise players. If he's angry with the coach he will refuse to shoot until the 4th and he'll pull stunts by making bets with fans or boasting he'll drop 50 points on so and so. I mean he could be a distraction and a volatile player instead of what you get with with most teams in position to win a championship. I want this team to be in good position to win a ring someday and that means we have to find guys who can distribute the ball evenly among other scorers and won't be such headaches. Just watch.. with the Wizards he will bolt when the team has no flexibility to do much and he's quitting on them to go to a contender. To me he's a player that will send all the wrong messages to the other guys. I didn't even like Iverson for that same reason except his deal is how he wouldn't come to practice or he didn't want to come off the bench. If Iverson doesn't win a championship that will just suit him because of how he behaved with his other team. I think Arenas is in the same boat but for different matters.
