The Los Angeles Lakers have expressed interest in Gilbert Arenas, according to sources close to the situation. The 30-year-old is an unrestricted free agent after being amnestied by the Orlando Magic last month. No signing is imminent, but the Lakers have reached out to the veteran point guard.
League sources say that Arenas would love to join the Lakers. He grew up in Los Angeles and is interested in playing for his hometown team. He believes that he can contribute in Los Angeles’ backcourt, which currently features an aging Derek Fisher, injured Steve Blake and inexperienced Darius Morris. Arenas and Blake played together for two years with the Washington Wizards.
Arenas spent the summer working out in Orlando, losing 20 pounds as he prepared for the upcoming season. The weight loss should prevent further issues with his surgically repaired knee, which was a cause for concern during his brief stint with the Magic. The three-time All-Star is healthy and looking forward to proving that he can still play at a high level if put in the right situation.
In Orlando, Arenas struggled to come off of the bench behind Jameer Nelson. Stan Van Gundy had Arenas on a short leash and would often pull him from games if he made a single mistake. However, he did have the opportunity to start 16 games last year and he was extremely productive. As a starter with the Magic, Arenas averaged 17 points, six assists and 2.5 steals. He averaged similar numbers – 17.3 points, 5.6 assists and 1.4 steals – in 21 games with the Wizards prior to last December’s trade.
Off the court, Arenas wasn’t a handful or distraction for the Magic. His teammates enjoyed his company, especially Dwight Howard. The two spent a lot of time together over the offseason and during the lockout. In November, Arenas played in Howard’s charity basketball game, which ended up being the point guard’s final game alongside his Magic teammates.
At this point in his career, Arenas would likely sign for pro-rated veteran’s minimum. He’s a low-risk, high-reward addition and the Lakers seem to be weighing all of their options when it comes to improving their backcourt. Los Angeles currently has 15 players on their roster, which means they’ll have to waive someone if they decide to sign Arenas.
