Gilbert Arenas is back in the news, this time for faking an injury and not playing in the Wizards' first home preseason game. Arenas explained that the reason he lied to his coach regarding his ability to play was so that Nick Young could start and be showcased, and Young played well in Arenas' minutes. While obviously Arenas is an idiot, this incident got me thinking along different lines. At this point in their careers, is there a difference between Gilbert Arenas and Nick Young?
This question might seem obvious, based upon the statures and salaries of the two players. But I was struck by how similar their per 36 minutes stats were. Per 36 minutes, Arenas averaged six more points (22.2 vs. 16.2) but also took almost five more field goal attempts (19 vs. 14.1). Surprisingly, Young had a better FG% (.418 vs. .411), 3P% (.406 vs. .348), and FT% (.800 vs. .739). Factoring in Arenas' ability to get to the free throw line more (even if he shoots a worse percentage), and its safe to say that these two players are basically a wash when it comes to putting the basketball in the basket. This is also not including the fact that Young is three inches taller than Arenas (he is 6'7).
Arenas does have one advantage over Young as an offensive weapon, and that is his play-making ability for others. As much as Arenas is viewed as a selfish player, he has always been around 5-5.5 assists per 36 minutes, while Young has been at around one assist per 36 minutes. However, Arenas won't have the ball in his hands nearly as often due to the presence of the projected franchise savior, John Wall. This will make his scoring contributions all the more important, and that is not promising due to the earlier comparisons with Young.
This also leads to the question of whether Arenas should be starting for the Wizards at all. A 6'4 shooting guard who shoots around 35% from three and is not known for good defense does not sound like a viable starter. And while it has been fun with Flip Saunders insinuating that he likes playing Wall, Arenas, and newcomer Kirk Hinrich at the same time, that lineup is not feasible for any length of time. All three players are 6'4 and whoever would be matched up against the opposing team's small forward would have a very difficult matchup. Josh Howard, Al Thornton, JaVale McGee, Hilton Armstrong, Andray Blatche, and Yi Jianlian will also all be getting important minutes in the forward positions, so there is not even the scenario of having room on the court for all three guards.
So is Arenas better than Hinrich? Last season, Hinrich had a .415 FG%, .371 3P%, and a .752 FT%, numbers slightly better than Arenas'. And while Hinrich did not rack up as many assists per 36 minutes as Arenas (4.5), he is capable of making plays for teammates. He also is used to playing alongside a young point guard who needs the ball in Derrick Rose. Furthermore, Hinrich is known for his excellent defense, a quality that could be used on the Wizards, and also has experience guarding shooting guards. While we might give credit to Arenas as a better offensive player due to his performances prior to last season and the fact he has been used as a scorer and playmaker more throughout his career, it looks like Hinrich might be a better fit for the Wizards this year.
With Wall and the players the Wizards have for the front court, points from the shooting guard position are not as big a concern for the Wizards as they might be for other teams. The shooting guard's job will be to play good defense and assist Wall running the show. This sounds like a description much better for Hinrich than Arenas. This could also allow Arenas to run the bench unit and allow him to have the ball in his hands more and make plays. With all the above being said--there's no way Arenas isn't a starter unless for disciplinary or injury issues, if only in the hopes that he will be easier to trade if starting for the Wizards. Which is a shame, for with the Wizards looking at a tough year of rebuilding and teaching Wall how to become a superstar, it would help to put their best lineups out there.
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