Free Gilbert Arenas
This farce has run long enough, and then some.
Can this be over, now? Please?
Not that Gilbert Arenas wasn’t riding for something like this as long as he has been riding, but let’s face it, as a Menace 2 Society, he’s the most overrated danger since Killer Bees and Y2K.
Only Gilbert could have created something like this out of thin air, blowing a joke up into the second biggest suspension in NBA history at a cost of $9.9 million.
I’ve got a great idea! If Javaris Crittenton is upset at me, I’ll put my guns in his cubicle and tell him to pick one, like we’re going to fight a duel!
What a crackup!
Then, when the world went nuts after the erroneous story about Gilbert and Crittenton drawing down and pointing the pieces in each others’ faces, who else would dare to keep treating it as a joke at this tender moment in his career?
Everything will be cool as soon as I tell them what really happened, like always.
In the meantime, I’ll pretend to shoot you guys and you all fall over like you’re dead!
That was they did in pre-game introductions at Philadelphia with Gilbert pretending to shoot his laughing teammates.
Antawn Jamison, the team grownup, was right in the middle, laughing his head off, although Wizard management somehow overlooked him it fined all the young guys.
For his piece de resistance – that’s French for “something only Gilbert Arenas would do” - he then walked into David Stern’s office and informed the commish he expected to be suspended for the season, and wouldn’t challenge it!
Here’s a little advice, Gilbert: Next time, why don’t we do the apology first and the jokes later?
Nevertheless, as Gilbert, who’s good at counting his blessings, at least if there aren’t too many, knows, it’s hardly a tragedy, with $80 million more coming on that contract that nice Mr. Abe Pollin gave him…
Or is it?
Wizard president Ernie Grunfeld has made it clear the team is still considering trying to void the contract.
The Pollin family, which is running things until summer, now makes constant reference to “the legacy of Abe Pollin,” which in this case means putting as much distance as possible between Abe and this incident, taking down all Gilbert’s pictures, erasing him from highlight reels, as if he was never there.
Of course, Abe, the ultimate nice-guy owner, gave Gilbert his silly $111 million contract two summers ago… with Gilbert having just sat out a season recovering from knee surgery… and about to sit out another season.
With Golden State in the picture, Abe actually offered Gilbert the $120 million max. In appreciation, Gilbert took less so they could get more players.
I don’t want to say they deserved each other, but they were a natural.
Wacky as Gilbert is, he’s a fun guy and a major talent/unbroken stallion, whose personality and charitable efforts made him the biggest star in town and a becoming face of the franchise.
Abe was always into doing the right thing, but when that conflicted with taking care of his own, he went with the loyalty. Wes Unseld, a great player and a better person, said Abe kept him years longer than he should have as a GM in the vain hope of getting it right, together.
It was a good-guy organization, if an uptight one after the Michael Jordan era when the p.r. people went bananas, keeping the press out of MJ’s path.
Grunfeld is a prince. His down-home No. 2 guy, Tommy Sheppard, once PR guy for the Nuggets, is among the most personable and popular people in the league.
Now, however, they’re doing the bidding of the Pollin family, which wants to protect their patriarch, perhaps with input from incoming owner Ted Leonsis, who’d love to take over with a clean slate and $20 million less in salary per annum.
Using this incident to dump this contract is naked opportunism that a) sucks, and is b) dumb, since it’s not likely to fly anyway.
An attempt to void the contract would entail a long, adversarial, further-distracting fight before an arbitrator… which the team would likely lose, anyway.
Arbitrators have hardly backed away from challenging the NBA and its teams, even in cases as outrageous as Latrell Sprewell’s physical assault on Coach PJ Carlesimo.
After the Warriors voided Spree’s contract, arbitrator John Feerick, the dean of the Fordham Law School, not only reinstated the contract but shortened Stern’s year-long suspension to the balance of that 1997-98 season.
Nor do the few precedents from similar cases look helpful.
In the fall of 2006, Stephen Jackson, then in Indiana, pleaded guilty to felony recklessness for firing his gun in the air to break up a fight outside a strip club… which also violated his probation for his part in the 2004 Auburn Hills Riot.
The NBA suspended Jackson seven games.
Arenas’ guns were unlicensed in the District of Columbia, as required by local law, but unloaded. Sebastian Telfair once got a three-game suspension for bringing a loaded handgun on the Trail Blazers’ plane.
Washington insiders have predicted the team would offer to settle Gilbert’s deal. Luckily, the Wizards aren’t dealing with someone like Sprewell, who would have fought it to the Supreme Court before forgoing a penny.
Gilbert, who put his head on the chopping block for Stern, might take 50 cents on the dollar, or less.
This story doesn’t have any heroes, or martyrs, and would have been a lot smaller story in the first place without wild press reports.
Aside from that, it’s been a lot of fun. Excuse me, I have to go gag now.
Ron Said,
January 28, 2010 @ 7:16 pm
What credentials does it take to write a blog on hoopshype.com? This article has no purpose, it says nothing. It just spews opinions and anger and tosses in a few facts to give it credibility. The title also makes no sense to the piece itself. The title made me assume this was a plea for Washington to let Arenas go. That topic is never brought up. Instead the piece shifts topics five times then ends up rehashing other players’ suspensions, but never tries to use those to make comparisons to the Arenas case.
As far as facts go, I just watched Ernie Grunfeld’s press conference this morning when he said they had not looked into voiding Arenas’ contract. Yet, this article says Grunfeld “made it clear” that he was considering doing it. He also stated that Gilbert requested his suspension, and while this is the common story, it has been refuted by none other than David Stern himself (http://voices.washingtonpost.com/dcsportsbog/2010/01/stern_says_gilbert_didnt_reque.html?wprss=dcsportsbog’,'810′). Don’t use facts if all you want to do is throw your opinion out. Journalism is a lost art.
PS He did make a good point about how Jamison totally joined in on the pregame shooting thing and got nothing for it. Now that would have been an interesting article.
GILBERT FAN 4 LIFE Said,
January 28, 2010 @ 7:24 pm
GILBERT MADE A MISTAKE WE ALL DO. STILL ONE OF THE BEST PLAYERS IN THE NBA. HE GOT A TERRIBLE RULING FROM STERN…THERE HAS BEEN WORSE THINGS DOWN BY NBA PLAYER. THE WHOLE SEASON BULLSHIT…
Warren Shapiro Said,
January 28, 2010 @ 7:38 pm
Just like a blog to write an irresponsible piece of journalism comparing the sentence to others and supporting a guy like Gilbert Arenas.
Why don’t you spend some time talking to people who have been the accidental victims of guys like Gilbert who have a cavalier attitude about the guns they own and their rights.
GUns kill people and irresponsible people who joke around with guns accidentally kill people. Ask the Christofi family
You should be ashamed of yourself for the tone you take in your piece
jtothem Said,
January 28, 2010 @ 7:42 pm
It’s hard to believe an employer who cannot fire an employee after he brought a gun to the work place. He should lose his whole entire contract. He can resign somewhere else.
Gilbert Arenas Said,
January 28, 2010 @ 8:35 pm
Yall know it’s not my fault, if Javaris wasn’t a rat then I’d still be playn dawg.
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January 28, 2010 @ 9:13 pm
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Hoops Fan Said,
January 28, 2010 @ 10:18 pm
Finally a blog that says this whole thing got really crazy after the NY POST ARTICLE. That article ended up being more wrong than right.
That article is what shamed the NBA and its players more than what actually happened…yes, the players brought guns in the locker room and that’s inexcusable but they did not point them at each other. Everyone knows the NY Post is not very credible but to accuse players of pointing guns at each other— that is what hurt the image of the NBA and players…all because of one journalist.
What happened to sports journalism– now TMZ has a sports division?!! Sports writers have blogs and columns and push their opinions on the public but nobody is holding them to any kind of standard…if they mess up— they just print a correction? The damage has been done. Yes, they can get fired too but the damage is also done. They comment like they know the sports business and the players when they are not on that side. Agents also influence and use reporters, columnists and the “media” to push their rumors and agendas. They play favorites and run stories for agents when they know they are being used but they fuel the rumor mill regardless.
Sports journalists need to realize how much influence they have over public opinion and be more responsible by getting their facts straight and remembering that journalism is based on integrity and relaying accurate information to the public.
Maybe Gilbert pointed his fingers to mock the whole situation to show he got along with his teammates and to think he can hurt them is silly. His teammates laughed and even without knowing Gilbert— you can tell he’s harmless. His stunt was in bad taste– his coping strategy to make everything a joke wasn’t funny to anyone else either. GILBERT ARENAS and JAVARIS CRITTENDON have gone before the judge because they broke the law and before David Stern because they broke league rules to right this wrong but nobody is holding these reporters accountable when they make a mistake. Fine PETE VECSEY…better yet just fire him. His speech at the Hall of Fame was bad enough and his jabs at Gilbert after he was already suspended is just immature.
Joey Deegeling Said,
January 28, 2010 @ 10:24 pm
I’m sorry to say but Gilbert needs this break to get to reality. The dude took a dump in his teammate’s shoe for crying out loud.
He needs to clear his head before he goes insane like Marbury and starts eating vaseline on the internet….
The Bullets(oh snap) weren’t going anywhere anyways this season. Breaking up the team is probably for the better.
Matt Said,
January 28, 2010 @ 10:30 pm
Ron, nail on the head, you hit it.
bigdog Said,
January 28, 2010 @ 10:52 pm
Cop out of an article. Someone decided to take the easy road on this piece of “work”. I expect something more in-depth and thought provoking then something that has been re-hashed a thousand times already.
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January 28, 2010 @ 11:50 pm
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Neill Ashe Said,
January 29, 2010 @ 12:00 am
I agree with Ron and Matt, this article was pointless. While the writer tried to be clever a number of times he inevitably failed. I enjoy hoops hype, but this was, as The Game would say “100% pure garbage, just something to roll up buds on”.
sjboy Said,
January 29, 2010 @ 12:53 am
Yeah …. this is not something to forget. Guns in locker rooms, or guys threatening other people with guns is not funny. Know why? Because its all fun and games until someone gets hurt or dies.
Only way I know to stop it is by making the penalties harsh. Very very harsh.
I know what you’re thinking…. “no one got hurt.” Correct. HOwever if you dont penalize this person to the fullest extent this will send a message that if you’re big enough, you can get away with it. Which means a lot more kids will want to do the same. Think the DC area has an issue with guns?
He deserves EVERYTHING he is getting, and if not more. Guns are a huge issue in this country, and this BS reference of keeping it from his kids is about as laughable as your column.
Good day sir.
JAYMAN Said,
January 29, 2010 @ 1:53 am
Gilbert did a punk thing, as did Jarvis and both are paying for it. Its time for the players to wake up and realize two important things. THE LAWS DO actually apply to you as well as us poor non NBA players and being an ass in a bad situation is gonna get you nailed. Welcome to the real world guys, glad you could finally join us.
MC_cHampsta Said,
January 29, 2010 @ 2:16 am
Void the contract, then he can come to Orlando. He would fit in that system perfectly. His on the ball defensive issues would matter less with the reigning Defensive Player of the Year cloggin the middle.
Greg Said,
January 29, 2010 @ 7:55 am
I have to agree with the first comment. This is a really poorly written piece and a meaningless one at that. If this site wishes to be taken seriously (and it may or may not) better writing is a must.
Darin Harrison Said,
January 29, 2010 @ 9:18 am
I completely understand the point of this article. It basically stated that Gilbert Arenas was foolish and reckless for having the guns in the locker room. I believe it was (to begin with) a bad joke and the joke went wrong quickly. Then Arenas attempts to make light of the situation by pointing his fingers (in a gun shooting mode) at his teammates in a huddle before a game. This pissed off Stern even more. Yet and still, Stern suspending both Arenas & Crittenton for the entire season was excessive. That’s the bottom line.
H Said,
January 29, 2010 @ 10:33 am
When an employee is hired, it is expected that the employee will work at a level (or higher) expected of him/her at the time of hire. If an employee does not meet the level at which they are being paid for, the employer “SHOULD” have the ability to terminate or adjust the terms of employment based on the work conducted and personal conduct, when backed with justifiable / factual evidence.
Everyone agrees that the NBA is just business, well, GA just cost the Wiz millions of dollars that were invested in the marketing and overall image of their franchise. If an employee results in a business losing millions of dollars, they’re fired (let alone bringing guns to work). The players are employees and SHOULD not have the power they do. This also applies to the real world where similiar Unions restrict innovation and accountability resulting in laziness and lack of individual motivation for self improvement (ie… got my contract, time to get fat and ride this out until my contract year, as seen by many NBA players)
This is rant, obviously nothing will or can change as it is a large part of our society.
raymond stitt Said,
January 29, 2010 @ 10:41 am
Gilbert’s situation is just shedding light on a teenage boy from oakland or miami who lives in a grown man’s body. It is time time for for him now to act his age.
Porky Said,
January 29, 2010 @ 11:49 am
I also give props to Ron in the first post. This article is a waste of space.
jtothem Said,
January 29, 2010 @ 12:01 pm
Gilbert played for Grant high school in LA.
It’s a crazy World when you cannot void a contract of someone who brought a gun to work. Are you kidding me? Have fun with your 90 days in jail Gilbert. I’m sure it will be awesome in DC.
frank b Said,
January 29, 2010 @ 2:01 pm
Hey Ron,
I guess you are a professional writer like Mr. Heisler, and that is why you can state that this article is just junk, right? If you followed the NBA you would recognize the writer.
You disagree with what he is saying. Why not respond as to why you think Gilbert is really as dangerous as Osuma Bin Laden instead of pretending that you are smarter than the writer?
Mark, I agree with what you have written. This whole situation has been blown way out of proportion. Was Gilbert really going to shoot someone? Did he and Crittenton really have a duel? Is there any history with either player of violence? Does the punishment fit the crime?
No one wants to say it, but here goes. This is just another example of our society’s hypocrisy towards violence and a good example of racism.
The United States has thousands of nuclear warheads that can be delivered by land, sea, air, or space. We have military bases in virtually every corner of the globe. We are fighting and killing tens of thousands of people in two wars. We are constantly bambarded with violence in the media and video games. Gun ownership is pervasive and cuts across ethnic, social, and racial lines. We love violence and are perhaps as violent a society as has every existed on the planet with the exception of Nazi Germany.
On top of this, we incarcerate and punish our people like no other society on the globe. Only Communist China has as many prisoners as we do, and they have 3 or 4 times the population.
Who is sitting in our prisons? By a vast majority Blacks and Latinos. Well that’s two strikes against Gilbert right off the bat.
Free Gilbert Arenas. That’s a good title for an article. Thank you Mark Heisler.
Dimitris Said,
January 29, 2010 @ 2:09 pm
Stern is trying to protect his product. Simple and easy. He won’t let any Gilbert Arenas ruin what he is building. Nice article mr Heisler. Arenas is responsible for his actions, he has to abide by the rules like everyone.
Patrick Said,
January 29, 2010 @ 2:33 pm
The article defends highly irresponsible behavior. There are many innocent people killed every year due to irresponsible behavior with guns. Any irresponsible behavior with guns should be treated very seriously. Then to joke around about it? I had a friend killed by a stray bullet a few years ago, and to see Arenas then joking around about that just made me sick to my stomach. The guy’s clearly loony and just doesn’t get it.
Then to see an article trying to downplay the seriousness of his behavior along with people who actually support the author? What is wrong with you people? Try actually using some common sense.
Porky Said,
January 29, 2010 @ 3:42 pm
Mark Heisler- please dont ever contribute to HoopsHype ever again.
Thank you and good luck.
charlie Said,
January 29, 2010 @ 3:44 pm
frank b, you’re retarded, and so is this article.
the guy brought a gun to work. try doing that and see if all you get is a suspension. being a celebrity doesn’t void you of punishment for doing things that are beyond idiotic and dangerous.
Mephisto Said,
January 29, 2010 @ 3:57 pm
Osuma Bin Laden, is he Osama bin laden brother?
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January 29, 2010 @ 6:36 pm
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Rashidi Said,
January 29, 2010 @ 8:07 pm
If a student brings guns to school he is automatically expelled.
If an employee brings guns to work he is automatically fired.
Why is Arenas bringing guns to work somehow justifiable?
Joke blog, joke author.
Trott Felipe Said,
January 29, 2010 @ 11:32 pm
I agree with Ron. Horrible article. Not even sure what you are trying to say and stopped reading, so my comment may not make any sense either, but: Gilbert deserves what he is getting right now. He’s an idiot making millions.
Trott Felipe Said,
January 29, 2010 @ 11:33 pm
My favorite typo: “Antawn Jamison, the team grownup, was right in the middle, laughing his head off, although Wizard management somehow overlooked him it fined all the young guys.”
Gus Said,
January 30, 2010 @ 12:23 am
How many people have been killed by unloaded guns?
Rashidi Said,
January 30, 2010 @ 6:26 am
Since when is bringing unloaded guns to work any better than bringing loaded guns to work?
BenDover Said,
January 30, 2010 @ 9:53 pm
“This story doesn’t have any heroes, or martyrs, and would have been a lot smaller story in the first place without wild press reports”.
…
and (bullshit) analysis!
Scottie Pimpin Said,
January 30, 2010 @ 10:32 pm
i said this once before, and i’ll keep saying it again unstil i die ; Fuk Dave Stern, fuk him with Shaq’s 3rd leg.
this is not only the most expensive suspension in history, but its also the most uneccesary and most pathetic excuse to try and make an example out of somebody.
we need a new basketball league. one that isnt scared of uppidy negroes with tattoos. peace.
sam Said,
January 31, 2010 @ 2:39 am
Gilbert Arenas has always been a gunslinger. From his days as an under-the radar point guard at the University of Arizona to the moment he stepped on an NBA court, Arenas has never been afraid to attack the opposition. Drafted in the second round by the Golden State Warriors, Gilbert was accustomed to going unnoticed, he wore the number zero on his jersey as a testament to this. At the start of his rookie season he was viewed as a shaky ball handler with a streaky jump shot. Not a pure point guard but too small to be a shooting guard, inconsistent and unconventional. His rise to prominence has been a slow and gradual climb, Arenas has always held the potential to be an exceptional player but it seems his eccentric personality has operated as a hindrance to his abilities.
As one of the most outspoken athletes in professional sports, Arenas is no stranger to controversy. His latest incident however, storing four unloaded guns in his locker at the Verizon Center, has seemingly carried Arenas over the line from a quirky, outspoken athlete to an absent-minded, uncaring, and unprofessional ‘thug’. Initially Gilbert reacted to this incident in his usual manner, by attempting to make a joke out of it. In a January 5th matchup that had the Washington Wizards facing the Philadelphia 76ers, Arenas teammates surrounded him during the pre-game introductions and Gilbert pretended to shoot them down, his fingers imitating guns. The following day, NBA commissioner David Stern suspended Arenas indefinitely and without pay. Stern followed the suspension with this statement, “his ongoing conduct has led me to conclude that he is not currently fit to take the court in an NBA game.”
David Stern is now faced with a complex issue. He has worked tirelessly over the last decade to typify and regulate what the image of an NBA player is allowed to be. The potential connotations that could seep into the imagery of current NBA are the antithesis of everything Stern has attempted to achieve. Arenas has never assimilated himself within this representation, and this incident could mark a turn towards obscurity for the three time NBA all-star. However, he is far from the first NBA player to be implicated in an event involving a firearm and Stern needs to act on behalf of his league, not just on the actions of one individual.
It’s no question that Stern helped save the league from near dissolvement in the eighties by creating images that would resonate with the targeted demographic. Players like Michael Jordan and Larry Bird were instrumental in reviving the league; they were extremely talented, exciting, and captivating players. But they were also the products of extensive marketing and image consulting, created to resonate with the masses and sell shoes with the same ease in which they scored a basket. Arenas latest incident effectively removes him from this category.
I’m not defending Gilbert’s actions, they were irresponsible and illegal. But the reality is, these things happen; arguments, aggression, irresponsible decisions, these are all part of life. Should Arenas be punished? Absolutely. But does the visibility of this incident detract from his ability to play basketball? Of course not.
As more information becomes public and the case progresses, the route Stern takes to attack this issue is crucial. Arenas will face the legal ramifications of this incident and additionally, the possibility exists that the remainder of his contract could be terminated, which has a balance of 80.2 million dollars. Regardless of what will happen, Arenas has already been negatively affected by this incident, but if Stern chooses to mark him as the face of the gun issue in the NBA, his career could be banished to the NBA wasteland.
David Stern’s track record in dealing with crisis management has, historically, been dependent upon the star power of the individual in question. This past summer Cleveland Cavaliers point guard, Delonte West was stopped by police for a traffic violation, upon inspection they found a loaded gun his waistband, another strapped to his leg and a third concealed in a guitar case. As a reserve player without much notoriety, West’s incident did not receive an abundance of attention; it also did not invoke a response from David Stern.
In August 2007, Washington Wizards guard, DeShawn Stevenson was involved in a shooting incident at his home in the Orlando area. Upon investigation, the alleged victim and all witnesses refused to corporate, and under Florida law, “if there is no victim, there is no crime.” Again, this situation resulted in no public response by David Stern.
The case of Gilbert Arenas’ presents an opportunity for Stern to address the NBA’s gun culture and amend regulations around the issue. Stern has the power to orchestrate the exodus of Gilbert Arenas from the NBA, but he also has the capacity to tackle an issue that has long been part of the league. If Stern fails to utilize this opportunity and narrows his focus strictly on Arenas, he will be addressing a long term problem with a short term solution. Arenas should be punished accordingly but David Stern needs to focus his energy from the individual to the collective, the NBA has a problem with irresponsible gun behaviour, not just Gilbert Arenas.
Ted Nelson Said,
January 31, 2010 @ 6:46 pm
If it was a joke bring water pistols… not real ones.
Blazer Fan Said,
February 2, 2010 @ 4:41 am
This is the best article on the issue that I have read.
Well said. Said what needed to be said from the beginning.
Well done.
Jay Said,
February 2, 2010 @ 8:12 pm
I did not like seeing Arenas facing felony charges. I do not think any decent person wanted to see him in jail or convicted. This whole fiasco was handled poorly. That being said Gilbert was so reckless with it.
However, Gilbert has a lot of people in his corner, so he will still have love when he comes back to the game. He just needs to chill out for now. Leaving the Wizards would probably be best. He can start over and maybe go to a contender. Winning makes people forget faster.
Jukai Said,
February 4, 2010 @ 3:02 am
You know, as much as people want to shout and scream at the NY Post for ‘getting it wrong,’ they post was actually more wrong than right.
Gilbert took three guns out of his locker, put it on a bench, and said “hey Javaris, pick one.” Javaris felt threatened, got out his OWN gun, and loaded and cocked it. The rest was awkward silence. Is this really that much different than pointing it at each other threateningly? The threat of violence was there.
Now do I agree with the suspension? I disagree only because, as you stated, previous rulings seem to indicate this was a harsh punishment. But these guys were playing with guns. In the end, it wasn’t a joke: it DID become threatening. Some people are trying to make this seem more innocent than it actually was.
Smoke Said,
February 14, 2010 @ 11:44 am
Everyone seems to have an opinion when something goes wrong. Please keep in mind that just because you’re drafted in the NBA, that’s not a license to become a man. Most men grow into manhood, and Gilbert was no exception. The only thing that these guys have done is been pampered from High School through College. Was Charles Barkley any different when he was in the league. Growth, and maturity levels form one person to the next is not a good barometer of comparison. EVERYONE GROWS DIFFERENTLY. When Gilbert was at Golden State, and came up for free agency, he was the most sought after free agent at the time. the guy was torching everyone that year. Gilbert is a very good basketball player, but he obviously lacks in the maturity level, but does that make Shack any different when he defecated in the shoes of a teammate? THE GUNS WERE UNLOADED!!! IF THEY WERE LOADED WOULD THE PUNISHMENT BE DIFFERENT? There was obviously no intent in regards to harm. It was a very bad joke, and prank. This whole overblown NBA fiasco involves building a new team prior to the biggest free agent market showcase ever. The Wizards are clearing cap space to get involved in the mix. There are trying to unload everyone, and have damn near the entire amount of cap space to “TOTALLY” rebuild a new team. This marketing for the “THE STERN MAFIA GROUP.” A completely new Wizards team would be a revenue generator. DOES EVERYONE REMEMBER THE WASHINGTON CAPITALS BEFORE THEY BLEW UP THE TEAM? A COMPETITIVE TEAM IN THE CAPITAL CITY WOULD BE THE BEST SEAT FOR CORPORATE EXECS, LOBBYISTS, CONGRESSMEN, ETC. TO CONGREGATE AND PARTY!!! TED LEONSIS IS A 40% MINORITY OWNER WHO WILL BUY THE TEAM, AND DO THE SAME THING THAT HE DID WITH THE CAPITALS. Unfortunately, Gilbert and his poor decision allowed everything to be put in hyper mode. When they trade Jamison, and include other team knuckleheads to the package, the cap for next year with be virtually zero. With the help of Stern, and voiding Gilbert’s contract, the Wizards will be a major player in the Free agent sweepstakes.