I mean no disrespect to the Tasmanian Slovenian (or was it Slovenian Tasmanian?), but Gil Watch pumps my blood a lot harder than Beno Watch. So while Mike Dunleavy buys Beno Udrih some crepes Suzette in NYC, we'll keep tabs on Gilbert Arenas until Ivan Carter tells us differently.

The Washington Times indicates the Arenas situation might take a few weeks to be resolved.

The source also said that Arenas -- who has a 9 a.m. flight today to China for part of a two-week promotional tour with Adidas -- likely will take less than the max to help give the Wizards more flexibility financially. Arenas likely won't agree to the new deal until returning from China and once the NBA releases the salary cap numbers for the coming year so he will have a better idea of what the Wizards have to work with and how he can help by "leaving money on the table," the source said.

This gives us all the time we need to produce a billboard offering to mow Gil's lawn if he signs with us! Yes!

Seriously though, the Kings are in severe longshot position, I'd gather. The longer it takes for Washington or Golden State to lock him in, the better the slim, slim odds for the Kings become.

As quoted by ZenBaller in the FanPosts, the Washington Post's Ivan Carter:

Also, I heard from a very reliable source that the Sacramento Kings contacted Arenas and said they are willing to do "whatever it takes" to land his services even if they have to "trade their entire team." Guess the Maloof brothers want to matter again.

On a standard six-year maximum contract acquired via sign-and-trade, Gil's 2008-09 salary would be $17.1 million. Brad Miller and John Salmons gets it done from a contractual standpoint. It's unclear whether Washington would want to take those contracts back -- Salmons is fairly priced, Miller can play in Eddie Jordan's Princeton offense and expires in 2010. The only real 2009 expirings Sacramento could offer would be Ron Artest and Mikki Moore (sort-of); you'd assume playing with Artest and Kevin Martin would be the reason Gil would want to come to Sacramento (besides the $124 million, of course). A Shelden Williams, Artest, Moore combination would work financially if Ron's not a requirement, though.

A hypothetical Gil max contract would look like:

2008-09: $17.1 million
2009-10: $18.5 million
2010-11: $19.9 million
2011-12: $21.3 million
2012-13: $22.7 million
2013-14: $24.1 million

That is a lot of money. But Gil is a lot of player. If Arenas regained his pre-2007 production, Gil&Martin would instantly be one of the best backcourts in the Western Conference (perhaps behind only Parker/Manu and Telfair/McCants). The injury creates quite a big if, though. And I can guarantee you right now whichever team signs Gil to a max contract will get murdered in the press and the blogs. Can we handle the jokes?

Right now, it'd appear the Kings are a deep, deep third among reasonable options. Golden State can lock in Arenas without Wizards cooperation. It appears the Wizards would like Arenas for themselves. Dominoes would have to fall for it to happen here. I'm fully on board and in full-on hope mode. How 'bout you?