Will Gilbert Ever Be The Same?

On Wednesday it was announced Gilbert Arenas, Washington’s $111 million man, would be out for at least the first month of the season because of another operation to clear debris out of his left knee. It was the third operation on Arenas’ left knee, which has to make one wonder if he can return to his MVP-form form the first half of the 2006-07 season. At that time, Arenas was one of the best players in the NBA, and the spark for a franchise on the rise, with talented supporting players in Caron Butler and Antawn Jamison around him to build off of. In the 17 months since, Agent Zero has become a bit of an unknown commodity.

Arenas first injured his knee in April 2007, and believed he was ready to go for the start of the 2007-08 season. Asserting that he was at full strength, it was assumed that he would be back as good as ever. Instead, Arenas struggled through a nightmare start to the season where his explosive shooting was erratic and it was clear he was playing stuck in first gear. Now, after two more surgeries under his belt, it’s not a given that he can regain his swagger just like that.

It’s clear that at 26, Arenas still has plenty of time to recover and become the player the Wizards envision him to be. They signed him for six years knowing they would have to be patient over the breadth of his rehab. He’s tried playing multiple times after each of his surgeries, but each time it’s been clear that the pizzazz he brings to the table has been sorely missing. It’s wise to let him sit it out so that he can adequately recapture the qualities that have made him such a big presence in the nation’s capital. Before the injury, Arenas was a stone-cold closer, a man that always found a way to hit the big shot in crunch time. In his attempts at coming back, Arenas’ teammates have had trouble adjusting to his freewheeling sort of play.

During his absence, Washington used their Princeton style offense to methodically create open shots for jump shooters like Caron Butler, DeShawn Stevenson, Roger Mason, and Nick Young. There was a clear ebb and flow that was established with this offense, and the Wizards showed considerable success in the absence of Arenas under this system. During his long absence, They were in the heart of the playoff chase when Arenas finally decided to come back after missing 69 games last year.

Washington’s awkwardness in meshing Arenas’ style of play was glaringly evident in the first round series against Cleveland. The Wizards elected to shut Gilbert down early in the series, but by them it was too late and LeBron’s Cavs eliminated Washington for the third straight year. President Ernie Grunfeld felt that signing Arenas to a healthy, long term deal was the best move for his team to remain competitive in an improving Eastern Conference.

Over the offseason, Arenas has made more headlines off the court than on it (what a surprise!). After formally opting out of his old contact and getting locked up long term, the point guard splurged on a million dollar pool that has been covered all over the blogosphere. There’s also that little reality show that will make NBA fans every smile. It’s guaranteed to make great television as Agent Zero is one of the most idolized characters in the league. His blog is read and quoted by thousands, and his quirks on the court make him one of the most interesting athletes around. As the season unfolds, however, Gilbert will have to put all of that aside and show that he can be the player we grew fond of two years ago.