NBA owners and players will be negotiating a new collective bargaining agreement (CBA) after the NBA Finals. If a deal cannot be agreed to, fan will experience a lockout next season. One interesting bullet point that may be included in the talks is whether teams will be allowed an amnesty clause. The amnesty clause allows teams to waive one player from their team it would not count against their salary cap, thereby reducing the need to pay a luxury tax. The waived players can sign with any other team and would still be paid the remainder of their prior contract.

What does this mean for the Orlando Magic and Gilbert Arenas? Arenas would be the most likely candidate to get off the books for the Magic since he is being paid an enormous amount of money coming off the bench. It could help give the Magic the ability to resign Dwight Howard. If Arenas is released, what team would you like to see him play for next season (if there is a next season)?

To have more flexible cap room to sign their own free agents, the Miami Heat traded draft picks and $16 million dollar trade exceptions to the Toronto Raptors for Chris Bosh and Cleveland Cavaliers for LeBron James. Teams with a trade exception have up to a year in which they can acquire more salary in other trades than they send away. Gilbert Arenas is scheduled to make just under $18 million this season. If the Raptors or Cavaliers are willing to take on the big contract, both teams have the assets to pull off a deal that could land them Arenas for virtually nothing, enabling the Wizards to get out of the remaining years of Arenas’ deal and to rebuild with John Wall.

The Washington Wizards finished the 09-10 NBA season 26-56 in a horrific season, which their star player, Gilbert Arenas, was suspended for the season and core players Antawn Jamison, Caron Butler and Brendan Haywood were traded. All hope is not lost though. Gilbert Arenas, Al Thornton, Andray Blatche, Nick Young, JaVale McGee and Quinton Ross all figure to be back next season. They will have two picks in the first round of the draft, including a high lottery pick. Mike Miller and Josh Howard have indicated they would like to come back and if the Wizards can sign Shaun Livingston, a backcourt of Livingston and Arenas could be fun to watch. The most promising news is that the Wizards will have close to 19 million in salary-cap space this offseason where their are some big free agents, including Joe Johnson, Amar’e Stoudemire, and Rudy Gay. Possibility for a new owner, Ted Leonis, who also owns the Washington Capitals, hopes to bring in a different vibe to the city and increase sales of basketball tickets. Realistically, next season figures to be a rebuilding year and one has to wonder how much more the fans will endure. It can’t get any worse than this season, right?

With the trade of Caron Butler to the Mavericks and rumors that Antawn Jamison may also be sent packing before the trade deadline, it is clear that the Wizards are looking to start over and rebuild. Will the Wizards look to void the remaining four years and $78 million contract of Gilbert Arenas or trade him to another team in the offseason?

If so, what team would you like to see Gilbert play for next season?

Former Gilbertology writer JakeTheSnake sums up the Gilbert Arenas vs. Tony Kornheiser battle quite nicely over at Bullets Forever so we’ll just say: a picture is worth a thousand words.