It didn't take a special agent to figure out that Gilbert Arenas wouldn't be able to keep his many alter-egos down for long. Agent Zero, or Hibachi, or whatever he calls himself these days, is back with a vengeance. Coincidentally or not, the Washington Wizards continue to spiral in the opposite direction everyone expected them to go.
A healthy, re-engaged Arenas, reunited with running mates Caron Butler and Antawn Jamison and combined with draft-day acquisitions Mike Miller and Randy Foye, would lead the Wizards back to contention in the East. Or so we all thought. And by we, I don't mean writers and arm-chair observers. Nearly half of NBA general managers (48.3 percent) picked the Wizards to be the league's most improved team in an annual survey of league executives. More than seven percent of GMs picked the Wizards to finish ahead of defending Eastern Conference champ Orlando in the Southeast Division.
|
|
| Gilbert Arenas must adjust to a team trying to do the same with him. (Getty Images) |
"I wouldn't read too much into that," one person familiar with the rants said, citing an innocuous case of team-wide frustration.
The reality is that things aren't as dire as they look for the Wizards. They've played all but three games without arguably their most productive player, Jamison, and limped through a litany of backcourt injuries (Miller, Foye, Mike James, Javaris Crittenton) that prompted the signing of a point guard smaller than me, Earl Boykins. They've played a tough schedule -- Dallas, Atlanta, Phoenix, Cleveland (twice) -- for a combined opponent winning percentage of .525 (83-75).
But Arenas has no business speaking not a word to the media throughout preseason and then rushing to call out his teammates only 12 games into the regular season. He's right about one thing: It all revolves around him. A healthy argument can be made that Arenas' style of play affects the distribution of shots on his team more dramatically than any other superstar -- even more than Kobe Bryant, who has found his inner facilitator in recent years, and LeBron James, a born passer.
But it's not clear what Arenas had in mind when he said this on Saturday night: "Couple more games before I just say, 'Hey, I'm going to have to carry you guys on my back.'"
Arenas, who diligently rehabbed his surgically repaired left knee with renowned trainer Tim Grover this past summer, apparently has some back-strengthening exercises on the agenda. How many more shots could he possibly hoist than the 19 per game he's currently averaging? As Knicks coach Mike D'Antoni once said, "I don't need shooters. I need makers." While leading the team in field-goal attempts, Arenas is shooting only 39 percent -- worst among the Wizards' five starters.
Arenas has admitted that he has struggled with the facilitating role Saunders wants him in, saying that he finds himself thinking too much instead of just reacting. That's a function of Saunders' intricate offense and the fact that the Wizards spent the past two years playing with more balance and less selfishness when Arenas was hurt. Everyone has to adapt to his return, not just Arenas.
But Arenas so quickly re-embracing his diva side -- bringing back the silly nicknames, then creating a Twitter account and vowing to start using that platform once he has 1 million followers -- isn't what the Wizards need. They need health, of course, and time to reestablish the pecking order. They don't need Arenas pointing fingers everywhere but in the mirror.
"Everyone's got their own individual goals, I guess," Arenas said. "Hidden agendas. You can't win like that. I've never been on a team where you have eight free agents next year. I've never played on a team like that. I've never seen it turn out well. Sometimes it works out for the best because everybody's hungry and everybody's fighting. Sometimes it works out for the worst when everybody's out for their own."
Playing with several core players in the last year of their contracts can be a distraction. But hidden agendas haven't been the culprit on this team, unless you count those emanating from the corner locker at Verizon Center -- the one with the "0" hanging above it. Haywood is one of six key players in a contract year -- Agent Zero counted wrong -- and if his play has been a distraction, the Wizards need more of them. (Haywood is averaging 10.7 points, 11 rebounds, 2.2 blocks and shooting 48 percent.) The other 2010 free agents are Miller and Foye (both playing hurt), James and Crittenton (injured and not playing at all), and Fabricio Oberto, whose nickname could be Zero Ego.
The problem isn't the number of shots Arenas is taking, but rather the number he's making. That's not going to change with more attempts. Considering the injuries and the complicated adjustment to Arenas' return, the Wizards are playing well enough to win on the offensive end. According to the statistical site HoopData.com, Washington is on the plus side in three out of four key factors that contribute to winning: offensive rebound rate differential (plus-0.6), turnover rate differential (plus-1.29), and free throw rate differential (plus-1.0). The red flag is a negative-3.35 effective field-goal percentage differential, meaning opponents are shooting an average of 3 percent better when adjusted for 3-point field goals. If you want to point fingers, point to the Wizards allowing 106.9 points per 100 possessions, among the worst in the NBA.
Either Arenas doesn't know this or doesn't care. Losing, as well as winning, have to be all about Agent Zero. An Eastern Conference scout who sees plenty of the Wizards said the next four weeks will be critical.
"It's just hard to win with Arenas," the scout said. "He dominates the ball so much, and his personality dominates the team."
Saunders is too good, and his roster too talented, for the struggles to last much longer. But the clock is ticking, on the Wizards' desire to be the fourth or fifth seed in the East and on Arenas' shenanigans.
The Wizards have it easy until mid-December, with six of their next nine at home. After that, they'll trudge to the end of the calendar year with seven of nine on the road. By that point, the real Agent Zero is either going to have to stand up or shut up, one of the two.
skinzfan44 
