Of course, we all want to see Gilbert back in a Wizards uniform next season, but as we head into what should be a very interesting off-season, it’s important to know the different ideas that are thrown out there, absurd or not.  The first one comes from Mavs writer Eddie Sefko:

Q: Do you think the Wizards would be interested in a sign-and-trade of Gilbert Arenas for Josh Howard?

Aaron in Wisconsin

Sefko: Are you the only Mavericks fan north of the Red River? Certainly you are the only one in Packerville.

But that’s OK, because you asked a terrific question.

The Wizards, like most of the league, can use another swingman. The question is whether they feel they could lose Arenas for nothing if they don’t make a move. And any team interested has to be absolutely positive Arenas is going to be physically fit next season.

Due diligence, they call it. But this sort of deal actually makes some sense. Arenas is damaged goods right now, though clearly a better player than Howard if the playing field is level.

Howard, also, is on the low end of his market value right now. Saying you are a pot-smoker and having a late-night party for yourself during the playoffs can have an impact on your trade value.

For those reasons, it’s not a bad piece of speculation, though it would require extra pieces by the Wizards — probably a bad, long-term contract — included.

Now, I doubt this would happen for a few reasons, first among them being that the Mavericks would have to move Arenas to shooting guard unless they could find a way to trade Jason Kidd somewhere else.  Then you have to consider that the deal would have to be part of a sign-and-trade deal, which would make it even harder for Dallas to match Arenas’ contract.

The trade is probably more speculating for the sake of speculation than anything else, but you can bet it won’t be the last the trade idea that gets bounced out there.