“I’m out there feeling like the old Gilbert Arenas again. I’m running, jumping, dunking, feeling good. No pain, no swelling. My balance is back, my speed is back: the only thing I have to get used to again is being around other
bodies out there on the court. I’m working on getting timing back. The only thing I’m not doing is playing in games.”

Sadly, it looks like Mike Jones has dug up some more evidence for the “Gilbert won’t be coming back this season” camp:

And the company line from Ernie Grunfeld is that Gilbert Arenas is coming back, but the growing sentiment in the locker room that it’s not going to happen.

“It doesn’t look like anybody’s coming back this year,” one player said. “Nobody. I don’t think so. I’d be surprised.”

Now, maybe that’s just an emotional reaction after a deflating loss against the Celtics, but it sure doesn’t seem like there’s a lot of hope in the locker room that Gilbert will be able to salvage what’s left of this season.

After not talking to the media on Friday (and paying the price) Gilbert spoke to the media today from Wizards Training Camp at VCU.  First, he explained why he didn’t talk on Friday:

By the time I got done with rehab, I just didn’t feel like it. And I figured that since I’m not playing in camp, and for me to come out there and take all the attention, that brings everybody else down.

And here’s what he said about his new role on the team while he recovers from surgery:

I’m just trying to be a presence because even though you’re not playing, you’re still a part of the team.  The young guys need guidence and the vets are more focused on their thing. Somebody has to talk to the young guys and I’m available. It’s easy for me to do it.

As of yet, no word on Gilbert’s feelings on his teammate’s wristbands.

Ivan Carter gives the latest on Gilbert’s knee situation on Wizards Insider, mostly focusing on his latest blog post.  He also includesa little personal analysis and in doing so comes up with quite possibly the best quote from someone not named Gilbert Arenas about Gilbert Arenas.

The thing hovering over all of this of course is that contract. I said this when he signed it and I’ll repeat it now: from here on out, everything Gilbert does will be viewed through the context of the $111 million Abe Pollin and Ernie Grunfeld committed to him.

When he scores 35 points in a loss, folks will ask why he didn’t have 12 assists.
If he misses a game-winner, folks will say that a guy making that much should make that shot. If this team loses in the first or second round, folks will point to the contract and say that he is not a true franchise player.

As I’ve mentioned before, I grew up in Minneapolis and those are the exact kinds of things that were said about Kevin Garnett after he signed his huge deal back in the day. “Why can’t he get them out of the first round?” “He’s a great player but not a clutch scorer in the fourth quarter.” “He’s not a real leader.” Etc. Etc. Etc.

Now that KG is a champion, nobody mentions the contract.

SLAM recently sat down with Hall of Famer Clyde Drexler for an interview about his career and what he’s doing now. You can find most of the interview in the latest edition of the magazine, but there was a part of the interview that was left out and reprinted today on SLAM Online. When asked about who his favorite players in the NBA are, here’s what he had to say:

SLAM: Who do you enjoy watching the most now?
DREXLER: I enjoy watching all these guys. You look at LeBron, I love to watch Carmelo, Kobe is spectacular, Tracy McGrady is really fun to watch, Wade is not bad. Arenas is perhaps one of my favorites—love to watch Gilbert. So quick. He reminds me of myself, he just outruns everybody. That was my game! Just run right by you. Make it easy. I don’t want to beat you off the dribble, I want to run right by you.