Gilbert Arenas Trade: Wizards Reaction

WASHINGTON -- Nick Young and assistant coach Sam Cassell were joking around after the media pack finished asking the Wizards' new starting shooting guard about the trade that sent Gilbert Arenas to Orlando in exchange for forward Rashard Lewis.

The pair playfully wondered who was going to break down and cry first from the news before the back and forth ended with hugs and laughs.

Yes, even with the Miami Heat superfriends making their first visit to Washington, the trade news dominated the pre-game discussion. Here's a sampling of what members of the Wizards organization had to say about their former franchise player:

Magic-Wizards, Magic-Suns Trades Analysis

• Magic Acquire Arenas, Richardson
• Arenas 'Ecstatic' to Be Sixth Man
Povtak: Magic Gamble on Mismatched Talent
Katz: Wizards React to Arenas Trade
Steele: Fare Thee Well, Gilbert -- Now Beat It

Wizards Guard Nick Young

On Arenas: "He's a good dude, a great player, and everything that happened here, it was kind of tough on him, kind of made it hard it on him. He didn't know his role and how he was going to fit back in. It came with a lot of difficulties. To see him go back home to get a fresh start and be on a winning team, I know that's something he would enjoy and hopefully he'll continue to do good."

On what it will be like without Arenas: "It's something I gotta deal with. He told me before he left, 'Don't let nobody bring you down' and all that."

General Manager Ernie Grunfeld

On whether he regretted signing Arenas to an extension: "At the time we signed Gilbert, he was one of the top 10 players in the game. He was averaging 28, 29 a game and there were other teams that wanted to pay him that year. That year he was a free agent, Golden State lost Baron Davis and they had a lot of cap room, and they were more than willing to sign him. Looking back on it, we thought it was in the best interest in the organization. You can never foresee injuries."

Head Coach Flip Saunders

On his emotions regarding the trade: "The reason I feel -- I'm not saying good about it -- but positive about it is Gilbert wants to win. He's going to a situation where he's going to win. ... He's going to a situation where it's built for him to have success, have an opportunity to get to a conference finals and championship. And so I feel good from that standpoint."

Saunders added that he had not yet spoken to Arenas.