Caron Butler Disses Gilbert Arenas, Picks Steve Nash as MVP

When you have mad street cred like I do, you can use post titles that include words like "disses" and "mad street cred" without looking like a complete poser nerd. OK maybe not.

Caron Butler was on the Jim Rome Show today, and after they talked a little about the absolute beating that the Suns laid on the Wizards last night, Rome asked if Steve Nash is the MVP this year. Caron Butler said he thinks so. (I don't have a link or anything, but trust me that it was said on the radio.)

Image from TSN.ca

I didn't think twice about it until I realized the implication Butler was making with that response: Caron apparently thinks his teammate Gilbert Arenas is not the MVP.

I have to think Gil is going to give "Tough Juice" some hell for that in the locker room.

You've got to go with your teammates when people ask these kinds of questions. When Jerry Stackhouse came on later in the show, he picked teammate Dirk Nowitzki. When a fan asked Alex Ovechkin who the best goalie in the NHL and the world is during a washingtonpost.com chat today, Ovie said, "Kolzig. I'm glad I don't have to play him."

Way to cover your ass, Alex. Caron, take notes.

Arenas has my vote even if he doesn't have Caron's.

Yeah, Nash has won it the last two years and he's averaging a double-double this year, but Arenas averages 10.2 more points per game and he's the leader on a less-talented team. (Caron and Antawn Jamison are good but Nash has five teammates who average double-digit points, including a powerful post presence in Amare Stoudemire.)

If the Wizards win their division -- and certainly if they come in first in the Eastern Conference -- Arenas deserves serious MVP consideration.