The Denver Nuggets select the only remaining 22 ppg scorer on the board....
Gilbert Arenas
aaaaannnd........... GO!
I knew that was coming soon. I didn't expect it from GC, though.
You have the right type of team for Arenas to thrive on, though. Westbrook, Deng, and Camby are all plus defenders, which helps make up for Gilbert. Deng and Camby are passive enough not to fight for touches.
This was exactly the thinking in DENVER, Roy. Guys like Z-Bo, Arenas, etc have to be surrounded by the right teammates to even make an argument.
we think we've done that in DEN.
We debated long and hard (with myself, yes.... i'm as crazy as Gil) about taking another guy we like a lot since he'd be more popular w/ voters, but forget that... this is fun and watching Arenas drop 30 on the other teams in the West is gonna be wicked fun!!
Don't buy it.
Westbrook is no leader. Not in his clubhouse anyways. Deng is not the leader in his clubhouse either. Noah and Rose have that honor. Camby, as Roy said, is passive. That has kind of defined him. He doesn't keep anyone in line but himself, and he doesn't make anyone else better. He's a good player on bad teams and he's a good player on good teams.
I could buy "this plauer is going to help keep Gilbert in line", as long as the vet in question is A) More talented, even in Gilbert's mind, and B) as mature and professional on and off the basketball court as gilbert is immature on and off.
Nobody you have on your squad is more talented than Gilbert..not if he regains the form you say he will. That means Gilbert calls the shots.
In 09-10, when Gilbert went down he was playing with two potential and recent all-stars, Caron Butler and Antawn Jamison. When he went down that team had a record of 11 wins and 21 losses, and Gilbert had a true shooting % of 51.1%, his worst since his sophomore year (not counting 08-09 when he only played 2 games).
I just don't think your squad as constructed can get out of him what he's capable of doing.
In other news, IP arrived in Portland ME at 1pm today. If anyone is in South Portland tonight in the Old Town, look for the 6'4 guy with the superman shirt stumbling around. I will also allegedly be jolly.
I thought the same thing but didn't post it, IP. Better said than I could have. Just because your players don't have character problems, doesn't mean they are leaders who can keep other guys in line. (e.g. Jamison doesn't have character problems, but also not a leader who could keep Gilbert in line.) I think your guys are too young or soft spoken to be leaders that can keep him in line.
this is my last comment on Arenas (don't want to rehash last year).
I don't think Arenas needs to be "kept in line" by anyone other than the coach (note: Flip Saunders will NOT be our coach).
the Wiz had Jamison, but also had a TON of young guys who woudln't/couldn't challenge Arenas to play right, act right or be Ubuntu.
If we asked Arenas to "stay in line" AND tone down his game offensively, i agree that's less plausible, but he's a scorer and will be allowed to be on this team. He's led teams to the playoffs before.
Mistakes that players make are rarely forever. People (including NBA players) change, grow, etc. We're gambling that Arenas does in DEN.
Topic: Press Conference Schedule is Up! 2010 Celticsblog Draft: Draft Board (Read 789635 times)