Photo. Tim TadderGilbert Arenas officially opted out of the final year of his contract, filing the paperwork last Friday. Gil was slated to make $12.8 million next season, but now he’s an unrestricted free agent, meaning any team can offer him whatever they want and Washington doesn’t have the right to match.
So how much is Gilbert looking for? The Washington Post says he wants a lot:
Arenas has said that he will seek a maximum-level long-term contract, one that could cover up to six years and be worth more than $120 million. However, Arenas has also said that he would be willing to take less if it helps the team retain Jamison and make other moves to improve.
According to a provision in his contract, Arenas had until June 20 to opt out but he elected to do so last week to “get it out of the way.”
And, in typical Gilbert fashion, the article goes on to say that he currently has no agent and is representing himself.
Would you want your team to sign Gilbert to a max deal?
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June 10th, 2008 at 9:40 am
GEE...They said a country boy came through and then changed the game says:
No max deal that is crazy. Dude might get injured again then what? Naw any team that duz that is making a bad move. I would take Shaun on a 1 year small joint before I take Gil. on a max.
June 10th, 2008 at 9:52 am
Blue says:
Gil would’ve had better luck, i think, if he had just played out this final year and tried to show that he still has something left out on the court after his injuries. no way anybody is gonna give him a max deal! the wiz know that they can do pretty well without him! not smart business on gil’s part.
June 10th, 2008 at 9:53 am
Logan Light says:
Tough decision honestly. But if you’re the Clippers, how do you not? I don’t know their salary cap issues, but it might be enough to keep Brand around.
And if the Warriors are going to lose Baron and maybe Monta, why not ink Arenas? It would be a nice come home story and he would fit into that system well.
There are a handful of teams that could use his starpower and should dig up the money… but I wouldn’t want my team to do it!
LL
June 10th, 2008 at 9:53 am
Jei says:
There are only 3 guys in the NBA world who deserves a max right now:
KOBE
GARNETT
CP3
June 10th, 2008 at 9:54 am
one66soul says:
he bugging, bum knee is not going to get a max deal, plus the wizards played better without him, i can see him signing a 1 year or mid level exception to prove knee is healthy…..
June 10th, 2008 at 9:57 am
Duke says:
You’d only be paying Garnett for the regular season and not the playoffs. And you have to put Howard in that list.
June 10th, 2008 at 10:01 am
GEE...They said a country boy came through and then changed the game says:
Jei you wouldn’t add CP3 or Deron Williams?
June 10th, 2008 at 10:01 am
anomaly says:
I agree with GEE. Gilbert hasn’t shown much for being a durable PG who can play solid all season long and into the playoffs. However, he is pretty good at predicting 40+ pt games and turning out 10- pt games. Can he really bring a team together and help those around him play better? I don’t deny his talent and scoring ability, but what has he done to constitute getting a max deal? Him getting a max deal would be just as ridiculous as Rashard Lewis’ deal, if not more so. Remember how well the Wiz came together and played team basketball when ‘0′ wasn’t there?
June 10th, 2008 at 10:06 am
Brown says:
Gil is wacked. He should have played another year to prove he’s actually worth signing. Even when healthy, he doesn’t deserve max dollars. How can he be looking for that much money from the Wiz AND say he would take a paycut to keep Jamison on board?
I used to love Gilbert, but his act has gotten tired. He’s entertaining, but not a winner and not a team player. He’s a jacker. A rich man’s Mike James. For all the games he might win with his clutch shooting, he’ll make you lose games where he goes stretches of shooting 4-25, 1-9 from downtown. He kills the flow of the offense, which was proven last year when he went down and the team played BETTER.
If I’m Ernie Grunfeld, I let him walk and spend the money on improving the team in other areas. They need help in the backcourt and on the wing, especially at the 1, and they could use an upgrade to their frontcourt. Darius Songaila just ain’t cuttin’ it if you’re trying to build a contender.
June 10th, 2008 at 10:12 am
The Jed says:
No chance Gil should get a max contract.
June 10th, 2008 at 10:17 am
Illmatic says:
@Jei
You don’t think Lebron deserves his max contract?
June 10th, 2008 at 10:27 am
word says:
lol i’m not suprised at Gil doing this. Good luck with that, his injured ass didn’t play all season damn
June 10th, 2008 at 10:32 am
DaPro says:
D-Wade should be on that list when healthy and T-Mac
Gil is probably going to the LAC’S his star power in LA can rival that of Kobe’s and would make the Clippers an official draw again. If they can sign Gil and keep Brand that’s a good look for the other LA team
June 10th, 2008 at 10:38 am
Sam I Am says:
LOL told ya that’s why DC dont love him no more…lol
June 10th, 2008 at 10:45 am
Illmatic says:
@Sam I Am
Well I’m from DC, and I can tell you that we still got love for Gil. I do wish that he would stay healthy, and buy into the team concept.
People seem to be ignoring the fact that he’s willing to take a cut to ensure that Jamison gets the money he deserves for carrying the team all season.
If Arenas can find a way to score, without destroying the team chemistry on the court, he can be a Top 5 player in the league.
June 10th, 2008 at 10:52 am
Sam I Am says:
@ Illmatic
Clearly I live in DC as well and there is a lot of fuss about all his drama and selfishness.
He did wonders for the city and you and I both know it, but clearly when he went his path about being scared to play and holding the city hostage with his maybe yes maybe no…I know a lot of cats out here got bored with it
June 10th, 2008 at 11:00 am
turambur says:
If you have to put caveats, they aren’t worth max money. So that’s bad news for TMAC and DWade both. If they put in a couple of seasons playing 70+ games, they should be able to work out a max deal on their next contract; but until then I wouldn’t take the chance since NBA contracts are guarenteed.
Healthy or not, Gil does not deserve max money. That shoudl be reserved for the super elite: Kobe, Lebron, KG (but probally not his next contract, he’s getting too old to demand that kind of money), Howard, ect.–the guys that will single handedly carry your club deep into the playoffs if they have to, and will win you a chip with some reliable help.
June 10th, 2008 at 11:14 am
alex says:
no, i wouldn’t pay Gil max. I’d only pay max to elite players that bring intangibles to make my team better. That’s a short list of CP3, LBJ, KG, Kobe.
Wade and Dwight are good, but they are team ‘weapons’ and not leaders. They bring in stats night after night, but they can’t make teammates better.
June 10th, 2008 at 11:24 am
Chuck...Haters come in all fashions and forms so bear arms says:
Anybody who gives this dude a max contract is an idiot! Does Gil know how many promising gaurds are in this draft? I know some idiot of a GM will give it to him, but he surely doesn’t deserve it. I’m sure with that knee injury he’s lost some of his speed and mobility. Dude used to be a hard worker. Now he’s an entertainer who doesn’t know when to shut up.
June 10th, 2008 at 12:01 pm
DJ Go Go Gomez says:
No
June 10th, 2008 at 12:02 pm
MoxWestCoastRep says:
Deron Williams doesnt mak your team better.
No Max for Gil.
He wrote an article about how Iggy and Deng dont deserve max deals and now he thinks he should get one??
At least those dudes played last year Agent 0…
June 10th, 2008 at 12:17 pm
doc says:
He dont fit the Sixers style so i dont want him but he will be averaging 25 or so for somebody team next year.
June 10th, 2008 at 12:23 pm
Brazil says:
I would love the Bulls pick Rose, so my Heat could pick Beasley, get rid of Marion and start a new season with Agent Zero, D-Wade and Beasley
June 10th, 2008 at 12:32 pm
Celts Fan says:
Mox, first, Deron gets a TON of dimes, points, and plays good D. How does he not make his team better?
2nd, Gil only said that Iggy and Deng should take the money while it was there (and referenced stories of guys who turned down $30-$50M deals and never saw that much again when they were exposed as not that good orinjured - Christian Laetner, Samaki Walker, Bonzi Wells) making the point that you take a “set for life” contract and worry about the extra millions in the next deal.
As for the max money guys, they are (going off production and deserving it now, not necessarily that I’d want to ink them to 5 mroe years at it now, but that they’d deserve that check this year):
Tim Duncan
KG (2nd banana offensively, yes, but the emotional leader of the team and a GREAT defender)
CP3
Deron Williams
LeBron
DWade (when healthy)
Dirk
Kobe
Brandon Roy (laugh now, but he’ll get it in a year or 2 when his deal’s up. don’t forget, this guy’s the leader and face of the franchise and handles things perfectly and extremely mature for a guy so young)
Dwight Howard (see KG, only more powerful offensively, not the emotional psychopath KG is)
Yao (injuries are a question, but he makes the Rockets A TON of $$$. Being the preferred franchise for a country of over a billion people thanks to Yao, on top of his really good on-court production make this a slam dunk, but it’d be nice if he could ever stay on the court an entire season…)
Steve Nash (again, wouldn’t sign him to it now, but if you told me he was in the middle of a max deal, I’d completely understand why.)
The maybes (as in, you may not want to, ubt if your team signed them to the max, you’d understand knowing that sometimes you have to slightly - not Rashard Lewis levels here, SLIGHTLY - overpay to get the guy you want.) Maybe being either due to age, injury questions, etc.
Baron Davis (injuries are only question)
Gil (injuries/gunner? he’s a HUGE star though and people do love him, so the ability to be the face of the franchise, which is huge and vitally important to the owners is there)
Amare (only a maybe because his defense is way too terrible for a guy with all those tools. also, is he really that good or a product of running w/ an elite PG in an up-tempo system similar to how Kenyon Martin was exposed when he left JKidd as just a talented but not nearly as good as we though, athletic big)
Paul Pierce (shown enough this year that I’d put him in the maybes. Plays D, elite scorer, tough as hell. Only negative is that he didn’t win a lot on his own, so I could see people saying no.)
That’s it, that’s the list.
June 10th, 2008 at 12:38 pm
D.H. says:
Jei, you’re crazy for not including Lebron on your max contract list. Think before you write dude.
June 10th, 2008 at 12:39 pm
jimmhumm says:
$120mil for 6 years? Who does this guy think he is? I give dude 50 for 3 to stay with the Wiz. Maybe pat Riley gives him 52 for 3. But for real gils needs to show he still has game before he ask for bucks. He is a shell of his 2006 self right now. Seriously. He almost on Van Horn status. Nobody seen dude play in a while. And a gimpy knee? please.
June 10th, 2008 at 12:40 pm
D.H. says:
Just to reiterate, Lebron took his crap-a$$ team to the finals last year. Where exactly were the T-Wolves with KG? I love KG, think he’s a beast and future HOF’er, but get real. If you’re handing out max dollars and you have Lebron as an option, you fork out the cash.
June 10th, 2008 at 12:52 pm
D says:
gil’s got a screw lose. the NBA: where we easily forget (the fairly good seasons that Gil has had) and where we always rememeber what most recently happened. Mainly Gil not playing more or less the entire season. Why give him max bucks when the team did pretty well without him? Although they crapped out in the playoffs that kind of money can be better spent elsewhere. Max contracts are foolish. Think of Brad Miller, Jermaine O’Neal, Mike Bibby, and a slew of other vets that got locked up for long term deals but now are on the decline (some very rapidly). It’s not worth it to invest so much money and handicap your team’s future.
June 10th, 2008 at 1:20 pm
GEE...They said a country boy came through and then changed the game says:
Celts Imma cosign your first point about Deron.
June 10th, 2008 at 1:21 pm
DaPro says:
Bottom line with Gil is he puts asses in the seats
That alone is worth paying max $$$$ for a player who the fans come to see play ball
It’s called return on investment (ROI)
June 10th, 2008 at 1:22 pm
Illmatic says:
@Sam
I feel you man. A lot of times over the past year or two I found myself wishing he would focus more on taking us deep into the playoffs, and less on his latest blog entry.
But I’m not ready to completely give up on him yet; Now that our young players are so much more experienced and our bench so deep, I’m hoping that he’ll finally realize that he doesn’t HAVE to take every shot, and maybe focus a little more on playing some defense (see Paul Pierce).
btw, it’s nice to see a fellow Washingtonian on these boards
June 10th, 2008 at 1:41 pm
Sam I Am says:
@ Illmatic
In the end I am a straight Agent Zero Fan…as a player.
No longer as a Wizard…I think Caron and Jamison are strong enough to build around and if there is a player capable of running the point (Ahem MONTA ELLIS Free agency)then we could try something different
No doubt man…I just thought it was Detroit City and Boston up in here….GO MD/DC !!! lol what
June 10th, 2008 at 1:54 pm
Illmatic says:
@SamIAm
Monta Ellis in a Wizards jersey is enough to get me sprung haha.
Imagine Monta, Deshawn (AD and Young coming off the bench), Caron, Jamison, and Haywood on the floor at the same time. In the East, that’s more than enough to contend.
How do you feel about McGuire? That kid is gonna be a stud in a couple years. Although I said the same thing about Blatche.. oh well. haha
June 10th, 2008 at 2:42 pm
Sam I Am says:
@ Illmatic
Blatche was def disappointing…so much promise.
You know with McGuire I’m not sold, I don’t know if its cuz maybe he needs to bulk up a lil or what, but i’m not sure.
Lol yo Monta Ellis would be bananas here in DC man
June 10th, 2008 at 2:54 pm
Illmatic says:
I like the intensity that he plays with though. He’s raw, no doubt, but he’ll bang with anybody in the paint and that’s something you can’t teach. Give him a couple years and I think he’ll be a beast on defense
June 10th, 2008 at 3:12 pm
Dave says:
Gilbert Arenas is a worth max contract.
Would you rather pay Gilbert or Rashard Lewis? How about Zach Randolph? Stephon? Vince? Marion? Shaq? Gasol?
Truth is that there are a lot of guys on max contracts. Not just those 5-10 players that are truly incredible and bona fide franchise guys. As the Boston Celtics have shown this season there’s enough cap space for three max contracts on one team. Gilbert earning the max is his market value and he deserves it.
You’d love to get him on a lower contract but I’d be happy with Gilbert on a max deal.
June 10th, 2008 at 3:28 pm
Brown says:
@ Sam & Ill
Don’t get too excited about Monta Ellis. You obviously haven’t watched Warriors games. Monta is a scoring guard, not a PG. Nellie has tried him at the point, and while he’s serviceable, he’s best used as a scorer who looks for his own shot. Hmm, sounds a lot like Gil, but Monta actually scores points efficiently.
Plus the Warriors are re-signing him anyways. He’s their best player after Baron.
June 10th, 2008 at 4:11 pm
kobeef says:
Ernie Grunfeld is having a party today.
He already had a playoff team and now has tons of cap space to bring in a better centre and/or a better point guard.
Gil won’t be back in DC unless Grunfeld can get him for cheap…which is a real possibility.
June 10th, 2008 at 5:57 pm
Luigii says:
Well you know what mann
Gil played with a MICROFACTURE KNEE SURGERY mann get that in ur head and also only like Amare Stoudamire has come back being super effective from that injury… and also when HE did play that year [Amare] he sucked dick and only had one good game and he decided to shut it down and save it for next yr. [like gil] So Gil’s still gonna get some money from WSH but the Q is how much.
Also Gil will stay for like 80/7 if Twan stays for about that time.
June 11th, 2008 at 1:15 am
bill says:
honestly - this should be investigated ala Juwan Howard if Gilbert signs with another team. SURELY someone has offered him something to have the confidence to:
- RISK 13 million for one year in which case he could play and possibly earn more money at the end
FOR the chance to get a Contract after sitting out a year with injury and his team excelling without him (not saying he does not help but both points above are facts).
Sounds like either:
a) serious injury concerns (fear)
OR
b) promise has been made (maybe even by Wizards??)