I side with those who believe that Gilbert’s move to sunny Orlando was in the best interest of the Wizards. His departure provides fans the opportunity to look back on the full impact of his time spent in the Nation’s Capital. Despite his hand in bringing our franchise to some of its lowest points ever, Gilbert’s overall impact on this team has been positive. Here’s why:
1. A Lesson Learned
The Wizards invested a tremendous amount of money in Gilbert Arenas, a player they knew to be eccentric at best. When things went sour, the franchise was handcuffed because his contract was next to impossible to unload. Both Ted Leonsis and Ernie Grunfeld are bright guys. I have to believe that the Wizards will be reluctant to mortgage the team’s future to sign a player who is anything but a solid and dependable person.
2. A Clean Slate
When Ted Leonsis took over control of this team last June, some of the house cleaning was already under way. The Wizards needed for Gilbert to move on so that the last chapter of an era that carried so much promise could finally closed. With Gilbert gone, Leonsis and the rest of the ownership team can build around John Wall, provided he can remain healthy, and shape the team that will hopefully return the Wizards to playoff contenders.Gil defined Wizards basketball, good and bad, for an era. His ability to do so made the transition to a new era easier.
3. Washington as Superstar Pedestal
Gilbert proved that a special player can achieve superstar status while playing for the Wizards. At his zenith, Gilbert had major endorsements and was one of the more popular players in the league. This should help the franchise when it does attempt to sign a major star or keep an existing young player such as Wall. I'm not sure the Bucks, and the other franchises that reside at that tier, have ever been able to propel a player to superstar status.
4. A Lesson Learned II
Not all lessons Gil taught DC were cautionary. Agent Zero was loved by area fans because of the aspects of his personality that were endearing. Along with his less desirable traits, Gilbert possessed a real love for the game of basketball, an appreciation for the fans who supported him, and an openness that gave his followers the ability to relate to him. The Wizards should take note of all the good things Arenas brought to area basketball and try to persuade current Wizards to engage in similar behavior.
5. It Is Better to Have Loved and Lost
There will be horrible memories from the Gilbert Era that will be hard to forget. The buffoonery that took place the night of the “gun dance” was truly sickening and demonstrated a complete lack of remorse or understanding considering the gravity of offense it made light of. But along with those regrettable moments there were special nights when Gilbert made us proud to be Wizards fans again. My short list includes:
· The “Dagger!” shot against the Bulls. The game was over. Momentum had shifted to the Bulls. Gilbert nails the three. Game over. The Wiz advance. A highlight reel of Gilbert’s buzzer beaters would be feature length. He loved to have the ball in his hands in the big moment.
· The duel in L. A. Gilbert went for sixty against Kobe and the Lakers and the Wiz pulled out a double overtime victory. It was one of many nights that Agent Zero put the team on his back and refused to let us lose.
· The legends. Great players frequently are the subject of legends. It is rumored that Gilbert used to stop random individuals around the Verizon Center and ask them to shag balls for him during late-night shooting sessions. He is also known to have made appearances in outdoor summer league games, a move that probably upset his general manager but that brought him a great deal of respect in a town that is known for the quality of its home grown basketball talent.
We can all choose how we wish to remember the time Gilbert spent as a member of the Wizards. I’m going to let the murky, dark images of his indiscretions swim in the background so that I won’t forget the examples of poor judgment on both Gilbert and the Wizards’ parts. In the foreground, I’ll watch the game clock tick down to about five seconds. Gilbert is beyond the arc. He should work for a better shot, but he doesn’t seem pressed. He pulls up and launches his patented jumper. The buzzer sounds. The ball finds the twine. He turns and walks away as if that was the only possible outcome. Then, the smile. Gilbert walks to the edge of the court, tosses his jersey into the crowd, and jogs off the court. For a few magic years, no pun intended, the Wizards had a hero on their roster.
Keywords: Washington Wizards
