Orlando Magic Deny Gilbert Arenas Trade Talks With Washington Wizards

Orlando Magic general manager Otis Smith has joined Washington Wizards owner Ted Leonsis in denying that the teams are considering a trade to send Gilbert Arenas south.

Josh Robbins of the Orlando Sentinel quotes Smith as saying that he hasn’t discussed a trade with the Wizards since June, and that even then it didn’t involve Arenas. Smith’s ties stem to when both were employees of the Golden State Warriors, where Smith worked in a front office that took Arenas in the second round in the 2001 NBA Draft. Since Arenas fell out of favor in Washington, the Magic has seemed a reasonable landing place, both because of Gil’s relationship and Smith and his penchant for explosive scoring, some Orlando is seen as needing.

Whether Arenas will be traded anytime soon remains a huge question, given the $60 million remaining on his contract. Gil has played in 14 of the Wizards’ 17 games this season, and while his shooting percentages are rough (.381 from the field, .365 on three-pointers) he has shown his signature penchant for feast-or-famine explosivity: he has two 30-point plus games (one against the Magic), and four games with less than 10 points.