What could the Wizards get for a shoot-first point guard that’s missed large chunks of the past three seasons due to injuries and a felony and still has four years and $80 million left on his contract?
Not much. But if the Wizards are truly rebuilding than they need to trade Gilbert Arenas, the face of the franchise’s futility over the past few seasons. What teams would be interested in taking Arenas off Washington’s hands?
Orlando Magic » Rumors have been swirling about swapping Arenas for Vince Carter. The Magic lack a closer and Arenas was one of the best finishers during his prime. But the trade would be a big risk for a Magic team that’s been among the Eastern Conference elite the past few years and Dwight Howard may be reluctant to team up with Arenas and his baggage.
Philadelphia 76ers » If Arenas has the worst contract in the NBA, Elton Brand is right behind him. Brand has suffered injury problems and averaged just 13 points a game during two seasons with the 76ers. And he still has more than $50 million and three years left on his deal. Trading one problem for another could be enticing to both sides. But adding Arenas to a Philadelphia backcourt that already has Andre Iguodala, Lou Williams, Jrue Holiday and Evan Turner seems more problematic. And the Wizards have added their share of power forwards this offseason.
New York Knicks » If you have a bad contract, the Knicks have been the team to talk to in the past. New York has loads of salary cap space to make an attempt at acquiring LeBron James along with a combination of other top free agents this summer. But if LeBron & Co. sign elsewhere, New York will be left with a lot of money and a lot of unhappy fans, which could lead to some desperate front office decisions, like trading for Arenas. This is where the Wizards could cash in, even if it means eating Eddy Curry‘s $11 million salary (no pun intended). Curry, who has played in just 10 games over the last two seasons with the Knicks, has just one year left on his contract. The Wizards could use that money to go after Carmelo Anthony or Kevin Durant, who both have ties to the area and will likely be free agents next summer if they don’t sign contract extensions.
