If Arenas opt-outs, he is essentially an unrestricted free agent.

1) not a lot of teams will have enough money to sign him outright

2) and if they do, they can only offer Gil a 5-year contract at 8% annual increases (as opposed to 6-years, 10.5% annual increases if Gil signs with the team holding his Larry Bird rights (the Wizards).

3) if for some reason, Gilbert is intent on leaving DC, it would behove him to investigate a sign and trade.

4) why? because sign and trade players can get the contract years and increases just as if they were re-signing with their current team…..plus, it opens up destination options as the team he would be going to could clear up cap space via the trade

....that’s as I understand it.

Is this whole possibility pretty unreasonable? For sure…...but with so many people wanting to blow up the Wizards, and Elton Brand’s name usually being at the top of the list as a superstar replacement for Arenas, I had to investigate.

But I doubt any possibility really works.

That’s unfortunate, because I think Elton would work really well here. Like Jamison, he’s the type of player who moves well without the ball, so he’s adept for all the quick cuts necessary in the Princeton. He’s not really the type of guy who you’d just throw the ball to on the block and let him go to work, but I think that’s a good thing.

Jamison has more range, but Brand is a better rebounder and shot blocker, and he scores far more efficiently.

I agree with DWF that Gilbert would never go to the Clippers, though, and realistically, we don’t have anything they want, except for Butler, and we’re not trading him. There’s no way we can convince them to take on Thomas.

One possibility might be Daniels, actually. He’s got two years left on his contract, but they could use a stop-gap replacement in case Livingston doesn’t pan out. At the very least, Daniels is as good a player as any mid-level point guard not named Calderon that’s available this summer.

Even so, I’m stumped as to what possibility LA might even accept.

I’d love to, its just not happening. Abe has his hands all over this one. He’s not letting Gilbert go even for Elton Brand. Like it also because it would cement Caron and Elton as two keys and completely change the chemistry. That would be an attractive position for any young guard to step into. Jamison can handle being sixth man because he’d be playing some with Brand, making room for him with jump shots. Since brand spent very little time at Dook compared to Laettner, that should work out too.

I like the idea that this could happen next year.
-Both players would have more time to show they’re healthy.
-Arenas new contract would be similar to the last year of Elton’s.
-Etan would be more valuable having played some and being closer to the end of his deal.

I don’t see why the Clippers make this deal for a hobbled Gilbert, maybe at all.