The Lakers’ interest in Gilbert Arenas is no secret, as multiple stories are released on a seemingly daily basis connecting the free agent guard with Los Angeles. After reports surfaced yesterday that L.A. superstar Kobe Bryant didn’t oppose the team signing Arenas, there were also rumors that Arenas had the same knee procedure Bryant did last summer in Germany.
However, the latest rumor has to do with the team itself more than just Arenas. As the Lakers prepare to take on the Atlanta Haws on Tuesday night, general manager Mitch Kupchak is reportedly lukewarm on the idea of signing the veteran shooting guard with a history of locker room issues and injuries.
According to the L.A. Times, a source close to the Lakers has indicated that the team may not be as interested in signing Arenas as everyone thinks.
Although General Manager Mitch Kupchak attended a workout involving Arenas on Sunday at a Bel-Air practice court, a person familiar with the organization’s thinking but not authorized to discuss it publicly said the Lakers did not have serious interest in signing the three-time All-Star.
Whether or not this has anything to do with Arenas’ troubled past (including a 50-game suspension for bringing guns into the Washington Wizards locker room), or injury problems (he reportedly underwent a serious knee operation last summer), isn’t clear. But if Kupchak is looking to add a player that can help their aging point guards, another aging point guard might not be the right choice.
But with potential locker room problems brewing involving Metta World Peace, Kupchak may have bigger issues on his hands at the moment.
