Arenas: opting out

[maes]

My guess is that he'll stay with the Wizards & sign max...but at the same time Arenas is pretty random and you never know what motivates him.

He's a guy a lot of teams could use.

Washington Wizards guard Gilbert Arenas said last night that he will opt out of his contract after next season and become a free agent. Arenas, who signed a six-year, $65 million contract in the summer of 2003, said his decision is based on family and business concerns rather than feelings about the direction in which the Wizards are headed as an organization.

Arenas said his decision is strictly a business one, and that he is using the player option in his contract as a means to maximize his earnings. He also said that his decision is based mostly on the births of his two children -- two-month-old son Alijah and 16-month-old daughter Izelah. "I have children now and I want to make the right decision for them," Arenas said. "I am not going to have my legs forever, but I have them right now. At the end of the day, I might as well capitalize on everything I can while I have the legs to do it. "I'm not opting out to leave. I'm opting out to sign."

Arenas also said he does not plan on hiring an agent. He parted ways with agent Dan Fegan last summer. "I don't need an agent," Arenas said. "I can do all of this research myself."

[-Young Buck-]

Yeah he sounds like he wants to stay, but he could just be saying that to be loyal to the team until he is a free agent. Alot can happen in a year.

[grusom]

He could be a really intersting piece for a team on the edge of contending for a championship. It'll be interesting to follow, and as maes said, you never know what motivates that odball, so I guess anything is possible.

[ixcuincle]

The Wizards are fucked if he leaves...see the losing streak to end the season as Arenas sat on the bench in street clothes. If the entire "Big 3" of Arenas , Butler , and Jamison was healthy , the Wizards might have gone to the 2nd round this year , but they need people to contribute off the bench to be a championship contender.

[Sauru]

he just wants a max deal, if the wiz offer it he will take it. i dont see why they wouldnt

[Craig]

I believe Arenas can earn a lot this coming year, from the team and the Game company.

It’s sad to see another all-star’s big contract prevents his team from being able to get other good players and getting better. However, they deserve the price.

I'm just wondering if his knee recovering fine?

[Andrew]

I imagine the Wizards will make a strong bid for him and he'll re-sign for the max unless something causes him to sour upon staying in Washington. Probably a decision that will spark a lot of speculation and hope that will ultimately go nowhere.