What's Eating Gilbert Arenas?

Gilbert Arenas and his mystique have long eluded my understanding, we're talking a player with all of the physical tools on the court, looks the part or your average NBA "good guy", no crazy ink covered arms, no wild colored hair, well groomed and even seems sorta mild mannored on the court, for the most part. As my mother would constantly tell me throughout my life... You can't judge a book by it's cover. Arenas seems to have the world's largest chip planted directly on the shoulder of his shooting arm, and that's not even half of my problem with the guy. Ok, he went undrafted, "they all thought he was a zero", we all remember the commercial, right? He proved everyone wrong with his outstanding ability to simply play the game. After a strong second season as a Warrior, averaging 18, 6 and 4, he heads to the nations capitol, where he strings together seasons that look something like this.

2003/04:  19-5-5
2004/05:  25-5-5
2005/06:  29-6-3
2006/07:  28-6-5

Those are all star caliber numbers, i remember Gilbert being one of the most dynamic scorers in the league. he was flat-out deadly with the rock. The 2007/08 season comes along and Arenas gets hit with that left knee injury. After numerous surgeries and two and a half seasons pass, Arenas looks set to return to business as usual.. But, that never happens. Instead, he looks like he's lost a step, doesn't seem to even want to play the game, he brings guns into the locker room, then celebrates it on the court in front of the home crowd. He fakes a knee injury because he was bummed that the Wizards drafted their new, possibly improved, furture PG. The furture for Arenas in Washington seems to look hazey at best, he doesn't seem to want to be there, the Wizards don't seem to want him, he has a HUGE, bloated contract, that nobody in their right mind would ever pick up, unless of course, said team has an eaqually bloated contract they're currently looking to unload...

Cue in Otis Smith , the loose with cash, never afraid to make a move, General Manager of the Orlando Magic and the 2010/11 season. He and Arenas have a pleasant past, Otis was the Executive Director of Basketball Operations for the Warriors while Arenas played there. Arenas had publicly said that Otis served as a "father figure" to him in his pro career. Orlando was looking to make some waves after stalling out early in the season, and being publicly critisized by their star player, Dwight Howard. Otis was looking to shake things up and he had a contract that was as equally as disturbing as Arenas's. Rashard Lewis was sitting on a bloated contract and only giving the Magic around 12 ppg. The trade was made, the Wizards sent Arenas to Orlando and recieved the 6'10, small forward Lewis, in return. The Wizards get a fresh start with John Wall and Arenas gets a much needed fresh start in a new city, with an Orlando Magic team, who have been a contender for the past three seasons. So, if Arenas is healthy and he's in a better enviroment, with people (Otis Smith), that he's publicly stated he's fond of, and add in the fact that he's playing with the best "big man" in the entire NBA...... What gives? Gilbert hasn't even managed to break into the starting lineup for more than a single game.. Where is the gun-slinging, three-point-shooting, assasin we saw completely break teams off for three straight seasons? Has he not learned the Stan Van Gundy system yet? Is he not 100% yet? Should we stick a fork in his career? These are all questions that maybe only Arenas can answer, i can think of a couple of stories that started out like this, and none of them ended too well.. Ask Tracy McGrady and Penny Hardaway. Those are two very sad stories of great players who completely lost their magic after a devastating knee injury... Or, there is always Grant Hill and his ankle. Are these the things that the furture has in store for Gilbert? I hope not, and i know the fans in Orlando feel the same way.