Summertime generates buzz, and the buzz found here and here might have you going “ga ga” over this guy. Is he over his injuries? Can he be trusted enough that you can pick him with confidence in the fourth…third…SECOND round? Let this pick become an exercise in examining this very question.

Round 2, Pick 3: Gilbert Arenas, PG, Washington Wizards

Rather than listing the statistics for “Agent Zero” from last season, let me point out the one number you need to know from last season.

Two.

As in two games played.

The 2007-08 season can also be summarized in one number for fantasy owners.

Thirteen.

Thirteen games played.

Fifteen games played over the last two seasons should be more than enough to let someone else in your league take a big chance on him. The big guys I linked to in the introduction mention him being a possible value pick in the third or fourth round, because he can bring back first round value. The 2006-07 season might as well be a lifetime ago, but everyone who likes fantasy hoops remembers Arenas at his best. That year he averaged 28.4 ppg, 4.6 rpg and 6.0 apg, as well as 1.9 steals per game. He averaged 2.8 moneyballs

and shot 0.844 from the line. An injury late in the season killed many fantasy teams in their quest for the title, but his numbers that year speak for themselves. They certainly spoke to me; I drafted him fifth overall that following October, ahead of the ol’ reliable Dirk Nowitzki. Needless to say that did not work out very well at all.

Despite the injury woes, if the hype machine continues to churn and Arenas has an incident-free preseason, it will be impossible to draft him in the fourth or fifth rounds. That would be an ideal place for him; he could be an upside pick surrounded by three or four solid players drafted in front of him. Your opponents would not know what hit them. Perhaps all this potential belongs in la-la land. I swore I would not draft him again after he took me out of the running less than three weeks into the season. And yet, if only he can be “Hibachi” again. If only he could stay healthy…“If only” is the rallying cry for anyone looking at Arenas this year.

I will play the game of “if only” here. If only he stays healthy, 15th overall could still be a steal. In top form, even if were only to play 65-70 games, Agent Zero is a top five fantasy player. The combination of treys and steals he accumulated in the past cannot be matched. If he can stay on the floor, you can call up your buddy that took Jose Calderon with a top pick, and talk some serious trash ad nauseum. I like Calderon, but Arenas can double his scoring, triple his three-point shooting and steals production, all while staying a couple of dime drops within Calderon. Calderon had a down year that included injury time, but is still being touted as an early to mid second round pick. If health can be removed from the equation, Arenas pretty much crushes Calderon, unless your two favorite categories are assists and turnovers.

The Washington Wizards are a good fantasy team. Antawn Jamison and Caron Butler will be high picks again this year. Randy Foye and Mike Miller will be on watch lists. Team success revolves around Arenas and his health. They could return to the playoffs with him leading the charge. Or, his knee could flare up to the point he needs more surgery, and he misses most of the year. There really is no in-between with Arenas. The good news for owners is that the season is still almost two months away. Monitor the situation; no doubt the other people in your league are hoping Arenas remains under your radar.

The Master List can be used to find players previously picked in this mock draft.