Arenas a Wizard?

[Drbio]

Wizards jump into Arenas sweepstakes

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ESPN.com news services


After losing one suitor over the weekend, Gilbert Arenas added another interested team to his list.

The Golden State Warriors free agent met with the Washington Wizards about their vacant starting point guard spot in Southern California on Monday, The Washington Post reported.


Arenas


Along with his agent, Arenas talked with the Wizards' new braintrust -- president of basketball operations Ernie Grunfeld, head coach Eddie Jordan and assistant coach Phil Hubbard, an assistant on the Warriors' staff during Arenas' two seasons with Golden State.

The Denver Nuggets, also in the market for a starting point guard, were pursuing Arenas but have settled on Los Angeles Clippers free agent Andre Miller, who is expected to sign a $55 million offer sheet Wednesday, the first day teams can begin signing free agents.

The Wizards can offer Arenas a starting salary of roughly $6.5 million. Arenas, 21, has also drawn interest from the Miami Heat, Clippers and the Warriors, who can only give Arenas their mid-level exception of $4.9 million.

A second-round pick in 2001, Arenas blossomed in his sophomore season, averaging 18.3 points and 6.3 assists while starting all 82 games for the Warriors. Arenas showcased his skills during All-Star Weekend in Atlanta, earning Most Valuable Player honors in the Rookie Challenge, a game pitting the top rookies against the top second-year players.

The Wizards don't have a true veteran point guard on the roster. Larry Hughes and Juan Dixon played the point last season, but Jordan said both players will return to shooting guard, their natural position. Free-agent point guard Tyronn Lue, who started 24 games for Washington last season, is expected to sign with the Nuggets, according to The Post.

If they can't bring Arenas to D.C., the Wizards will continue their pursuit of Speedy Claxton, who played a key role as a reserve in the San Antonio Spurs' championship run. Kenny Anderson, Darrell Armstrong, Travis Best, Bimbo Coles and Antonio Daniels are other possibilities.

"Whoever they get is going to have to be a leader, a pass-first-shoot-second type of guy," Wizards forward Kwame Brown told The Post. "If you're shooting and you're missing a lot of long shots, it makes it easy for the other team. Once we get a point guard that's going to run the team and make sure everybody's in the right spot, we're going to be a lot better."