Gilbert Arenas’ $111 Million Problem

Gil doesn’t want to be defined by the size of his paycheck. To which the world inevitably replies, “Tough!”: “Having already blown a layup against Toronto and clanking two free throws against Boston and Indiana, Arenas added another poor finish to his now un-clutch resume when Sacramento rookie Tyreke Evans slapped away his crossover dribble and secured a 112-109 victory for the Kings. Arenas appeared despondent after the game and I asked him if he felt a lot of pressure to deliver for the organization. ‘It’s only pressure whenever somebody mentions my name, they mention one-eleven. They don’t just call me a basketball player, they put a number behind it, like that defines who I am,’ Arenas said. ‘There is no pressure playing the game of basketball. But every time you read an article and they mention me, it’s like, ‘Yeah, one-eleven guy.’ But I’m a basketball player.’ Arenas had to understand when he signed the deal that he would be viewed as the $111-million guy — if he was unable to produce. No one talks about Kobe Bryant’s salary or LeBron James’s salary or Dwight Howard’s salary because they are getting things done for their organizations.”