Magic Blow Up Their Roster Epically

Otis Smith decided he would be the owner of bold moves as he shipped Rashard Lewis to the Washington Wizards for Gilbert Arenas on Saturday.

That trade followed news of a deal that shipped Vince Carter to the Phoenix Suns in a six-player swap that returns Hedo Turkoglu to the Magic.

The Magic also get Jason Richardson and Earl Clark from the Suns in exchange for Carter, Marcin Gortat, Mickael Pietrus, a 2011 first-round pick and cash considerations.

I don't get it, or like it. I know the Magic were kind of stale with the team they had but is this team really better? Rashard Lewis definitely didn't live up to his contract but is shipping him for a guy who has played only 60 something games since the 07 -08 season really help your team. Remember, aside from the "gun incident" Gilbert Arenas hasn't been able to be healthy. I don't understand why Otis Smith needed to take this jump and give up Rashard Lewis who gave the Magic size and perimeter shooting and most importantly he gave KG a lot of trouble on the defensive end.

Then Otis Smith is assuming Hedo is the same player that they let go years back while giving up your best perimeter defender, back up canter and a scorer. I don't like it. Sure Jason Richardson is a great scorer and will be a hell of a 6th man, but they are reaching here.

I see this move hurting the Magic more than helping them. Dwight Howard already gets in a lot of foul trouble and now they basically formed a funnel that all teams will use to get Howard in trouble. Now that their is no Pietris all teams will be living in the paint and having Howard to be a lot more active on the defensive end which will lead to more fouls.

This is/will come back to bite the Magic especially now that they don't have size or a decent back up at center.

Gilbert Arenas Fined For Being A Good Guy?

Arenas was fined Wednesday for faking an injury to keep from playing in the Washington Wizards' home preseason opener. Although this sounds bad, he seemed to have good intentions...

Arenas said after the game Tuesday that he pretended to have a bum knee to give teammate Nick Young a chance to start.

"I told [Young] I'd sacrifice playing tonight so he can get some time in because I know he's kind of frustrated he's not getting a chance to crack the [small forward] position, especially since we're going three guards," Arenas said Tuesday, smiling. "So I told him I'll go and fake an injury or say something's wrong with me so you can start (ESPN)."

Arenas deserves to be suspended, because you can't lie about an injury like that, and I'm sure the coaching staff wasn't happy. Also, he should be fined for just being an idiot, because if he kept his mouth shut no one would've been able to prove anything.

With all that being said, at least it seems like Arenas is set on being a good teammate. He raved about John Wall and how he is the future of this team (and possible leader right now), and now he is going out of his way to get Nick Young some playing time. His intentions were good, but he needs to find a better way of doing things, and stop being an idiot. Basically, if he keeps his mouth shut all of this would've been fine.

Wizards Are Stuck With Gilbert Arenas

Many people (myself included) would like to see the Wizards void the contract of Gilbert Arenas, but seems highly unlikely, as Gilbert already has his legal team making sure that can't happen.

So what are their alternatives?

Well they could keep him, but I couldn't see why they would not to. The problem is they aren't left with much of a choice. Their other option is a buyout, but with a contract of $80 million it is going to be very hard to get Arenas to agree to a penny well, and according to ESPN either way they are going to be hit with his contract against the salary cap until 2014.

This really blows, and I wish there was better news for the Wizards, but it looks like they are stuck with this shithead for a long time, because there is no way anyone will trade for him.

Breaking News: Arenas Suspended For Season (UPDATED)

The meeting has ended between NBA Commissioner David Stern and Gilbert Arenas. Reports say that Arenas requested to be suspended for the rest of the season. Do I buy it? No, but it is at least a nice attempt to put an end to this whole mess.

I said right when this all started that Arenas should be at least suspended for the rest of the season, so in that regard I am happy. All I want to see now is the Wizards be able to void his contract. He doesn't deserve that money, and should have to start from scratch after his suspension is over.

I doubt it will happen, but that's what I would like to see.


***UPDATED***

Javaris Crittenton has also been suspended for the rest of the season.

Gilbert Arenas Could Be In A Little Bit Of Trouble (UPDATED)

Washington Wizards guard Gilbert Arenas has been charged with a felony in connection with last month's locker room incident with a teammate. However, Gilbert has reached a plea agreement that would result in little or no jail time. But if he didn't plead guilty and if convicted, Arenas would've faced a maximum five years in jail and a fine.

I actually hope he gets a little bit of jail time. I hate Arenas and I think what he did was one of the worst things you possibly can do. He completely created a bunch of stereotypes for the basketball players that they didn't need.


***UPDATE***

Wizards guard Gilbert Arenas pleads guilty to felony gun possession. He will be sentenced March 26.

NBA Suspend Arenas Indefinitely

"The NBA has suspended the Washington Wizards' Gilbert Arenas indefinitely.

"Although it is clear that the actions of Mr. Arenas will ultimately result in a substantial suspension, and perhaps worse, his ongoing conduct has led me to conclude that he is not currently fit to take the court in an NBA game," commissioner David Stern said in a statement Wednesday. "Accordingly, I am suspending Mr. Arenas indefinitely, without pay, effective immediately pending the completion of the investigation by the NBA (ESPN)."

Good for the Stern. Stern should have stepped up and did this right when the story came out, and he admitted to having a gun in the locker room. At least he finally stepped up and took this guy off the court. He is a fucking useless player, who used to be good, and thought he could get away with whatever he wanted. Welcome back to reality Arenas....

Hopefully they will be able to void his contract soon.

Al Sharpton Says Something Logical

Rev. Al Sharpton spoke with David Stern by phone Monday and says the NBA commissioner needs to come down hard on Gilbert Arenas for bringing guns to the Verizon Center last month.

"The NBA needs to stand up and send a strong message by dealing with this situation," Sharpton told the New York Daily News Monday.
Sharpton was also not happy with black leadership groups for not speaking out about the "culture of violence being perpetuated in professional sports." ESPn

I almost fell over in my seat when I read this. Al Sharpton normally will defend any wrongdoing by a black person blindly no matter what they did, but for him to say this you know Arenas is fucked. Like I said yesterday, I hope Gilbert Arenas gets his contract voided and suspended for the rest of the year. he has already been in trouble for firearms off the court and there is no reason for him to have a gun in the locker room. By him doing that, gives more of a stereotype for NBA players to be these thugs and he should be punished for tarnishing all of these players reputations along with the Bullets, I mean Wizards. I expect the players association will fight this tooth and nail, but this is David Sterns time to send a hard message to every player including Arenas.

More Evidence That Wizrds Might Void Arenas' Contract?

"Wizards president Ernie Grunfeld, according to sources, was the person who reported this gun incident to the league, and already has begun looking into voiding Arenas' contract," he writes. " ... If Arenas receives a serious charge from D.C. law enforcement, the Wizards certainly would have grounds to do so because of the 'morality clause' which gives a team permission to terminate their contract with a player over a breech of contract. However, a source close to Arenas told me that say he didn't receive jail time and the Wizards did still try to void his contract, the guard would fight tooth and nail, getting the players union to battle on his behalf and taking further legal action if needs be in an attempt to making that happen. If Arenas is charged with a felony, however, he doesn't have much of a leg to stand on (Washington Times)."

The Wizards would have to love to see Arenas get in a lot of trouble for having a gun. Arenas has not been the same player since his knee injuries, and the Wizards are stuck with him and his terrible contract. If the Wizards were able to void the deal then they could become players in the 2010 free agent signings next offseason, which has guys like Lebron, Wade, and Bosh in it. The Wizards could also rework the whole team if they were able to void the contract, and then trade a player like Butler or Jamison.

Anyways, I can't stand Arenas, so hopefully he gets busted...

Gilbert Arenas Might Be Fucked

We've already noted this morning, via ESPN's Marc Stein, that some are wondering whether or not the Wizards are going to void the rest of Gilbert Arenas' six-year, $111 million contract depending upon how the gun investigation against him shakes out.

David Alridge backs up that notion today on NBA.com, writing that the team "would not shy away from at least having internal discussions about voiding the rest of Arenas' contract."

If it ends up happening, the team would be off the hook for Arenas' $17.7 million next season, and they'd join the likes of the Nets, Knicks, Heat, Bulls, Timberwolves, Thunder and Clippers as a team with some serious cap space this summer, meaning they could make a run at some of the top-name potential free agents such as LeBron James, Dwyane Wade and Chris Bosh. ESPN

If I were the Wizards I would be so happy this opportunity fell into his lap. Gilbert has been very good this year thus far but there is no room for this in the NBA. I don't know how the Wizards already haven't suspended him indefinitely for pulling a gun in the locker room over a gambling debt. I know the full story hasn't came out, but there shouldn't be guns in the locker room anyways, and this incident is very serious. Gilbert isn't a winner and if this was my team that contract would already be voided because it would be a cap clearing move, because obviously this team sucks.

Arenas Out Till December

Wizard's guard Gilbert Arenas will be out for the first month of the season, so that he can have surgery to cleaned out some debris in his left knee. I question why he didn't get this done earlier, but this is the NBA and the seasons are so long that this really won't effect the Wizards too much. What I really question is why Washington gave Arenas a six-year $111 million dollar contract. I think Arenas is overrated, and he is not what the Wizards need. They have guys that can score, and they proved they can win without of him. I just think it would have been a better idea to do a sign and trade and get someone who can actually play defense. Jamison has proven that he can carry the scoring, but he is also not much of a defender. I liked that they signed Jamison, because he is much less injury prone, and he is good on the boards. Arenas is not worth the headache that he brings to this team, and they should have not brought him back.

-BMack

Gilbert Arenas Back With Wizards

According to ESPN, Gilbert agreed to a six year, 111 Million dollar deal with the Washington Wizards yesterday. And because Gilbert is so realistic he said, "What can I do for my family with $127 million that I can't do with $111 million?"

What couldn't he do for his family with 80 million either. This gives me a better appreciation of Baron Davis (who I believe is better then Arenas) takes a slight pay cut in order for the Clippers to sign better free agents. Arenas is a shithead and a me first type of player. I believe in some ways the Wizards were a better team without him than with him, and will even go as far as saying they lost in the play-offs last year because he was able to come back. The Wizards also gave a lot of money who is coming off serious knee surgery. Bad move Wizards, bad move.

Gilbert Arenas Opts Out Of Contract

"Arenas has repeatedly said he would forgo the final year of his six-year, $65 million deal so that he could re-sign with the team for an even larger amount." ESPN

After an injury plagued season Gilbert is doing a ballsy thing by opting out of his contract. With Antwaan Jamison and Gilbert Arenas being free agents the Wizards are in a bit of trouble, these two guys are impact players(offensively) and Gilbert is a headcase. If Washington wants to contend they need to pay these guys.