Lakers Looking at Gilbert Arenas

[Mavs4Life]

The Times' Mike Bresnahan reports the Lakers have had internal discussions about pursuing free-agent guard Gilert Arenas. But the team hasn't invited him for a workout and is leaning against signing him.

Wherever he lands you think he can significantly help a team?

[Andrew]

Never say never, but I have my doubts when it comes to Gilbert Arenas. His injuries have really taken their toll and I'm not sure he's got the mindset to settle into a productive role off the bench, where his minutes may sometimes (if not often) be limited.

It's a shame because Arenas does have talent and before the injuries, was an exciting and explosive offensive player. He was also an entertaining personality, for a time. However, I feel he got too bogged down in his gimmicks. The chip-on-the-shoulder stuff grew a bit boring after a while and then he went right off the deep end. When he returned after the incident with Javaris Crittenton, he changed his number and debuted that whole "serious" persona but that too seemed like another gimmick, an act of playing grown up rather than truly "getting it".

At the risk of veering into armchair psychologist territory, it just seems that Arenas needs to be himself, leave gimmicks to professional wrestlers and just play basketball, doing what he can to help a team. If his knees hold up and he can be comfortable in a more limited role, then I think he has the skill set to have a positive impact on a team. Tracy McGrady has shown how it's possible to re-invent oneself as a role player after some serious injuries, perhaps Arenas will be able to do the same. I must admit I'm skeptical though, as with T-Mac I'll have to see it to believe it.

[Bruce]

The Lakers already has a log jam at the point. But I guess if Arenas is willing to play backup at 2 behind Kobe, then on paper we might have something good going here. Potentially, the Lakers could play faster with less errors that what they are doing now with a vetaran like Arenas. This is the way I see the Lakers' depth chart if they acquire Arenas.

C - Bynum/Gasol
PF - Gasol/McRoberts/Murphy
SF - Barnes/Artest
SG - Kobe/(Arenas)/Kapono
PG - Fisher/Blake/Goudelock

I would like to see in a third or fourth quarter situation what a line-up of Gasol-McRoberts-Barnes-Kobe-Arenas could produce and whether they can milk this lineup for fastbreak points. Acquiring Arenas, I guess would be purely an experiment, trusting that Arenas being a veteran that the right instincts are already deeply engrained in to him.

For me, the downside to acquiring Arenas is that once Blake is back, Goudelock's minutes would disappear. And the Lakers would have little to no room to develop Darius Morris in the NBA, this would probably mean d-league for him. The Lakers were never a team that developed young talent. But I think it is time that the Lakers make a gamble by reducing the role of Fisher or Blake and give Goudelock a chance.

[[Q]]

they must be desperate. he wouldn't give them more than what Goldielocks or Morris gives him and they don't bring any drama with them. Blake should also be back soon anyways.

what's up with crazy PGs with bad attitudes playing themselves out of the league early? Iverson, Marbury, Francis, Arenas, etc. TJ Ford somehow still has a job

[Andrew]

The Lakers already has a log jam at the point. But I guess if Arenas is willing to play backup at 2 behind Kobe, then on paper we might have something good going here.

Being something of a combo guard, I expect he'd be seeing time at both positions so there wouldn't really be too much of a logjam. Blake's currently injured and Goudelock, while a promising player, isn't rock solid or irreplaceable by any means. I don't think it's a move the Lakers should pin their hopes on, but it would at least be low risk if nothing else.

what's up with crazy PGs with bad attitudes playing themselves out of the league early? Iverson, Marbury, Francis, Arenas, etc. TJ Ford somehow still has a job

Iverson played 14 years in the league while Marbury played 13, so they each had fairly long careers. At this point they've burned a few bridges and aren't quite the players they used to be, so making it back would be tough if either of them still have interest in doing so. With Francis and Arenas, chronic injuries are what really derailed their careers.

[Stress Fracture]

Does the Lakers still have a roster space for him?

[Fluke32]

Does the Lakers still have a roster space for him?

The more important issue to me is how on earth the Lakers would claim him off the Amnesty Wire. They need to be under the cap to even claim him. Also if he no longer is on the Amnesty wire and somehow already is an unrestricted free agent, there is still the problem about the Lakers having to use their Mid-level Exception on Gilbert Arenas or a Veteran's Minimum.

IMO, he's not worth the roster space and the mid-level, but i dunno if Gil will be satisfied with just veteran's minimum pay.

[Murat]

If you ask me, the thing they need is a seriously well Center. Bynum is a sensitive guy, quickly gets injured.

Anyway Miami needs a Center too. Even though Joel has 400,000 votes at All-Star.

[NovU]

According to rotoworld...

The Lakers are "leaning toward not signing [Gilbert Arenas]," according to the L.A. Times.The team has yet to invite Arenas to work out, and with Steve Blake nearing a return the pressure for more guard help is reduced. Additionally, the Lakers feel their biggest problem is lack of practice, especially for their young players, and incorporating Arenas wouldn't help matters. Jan 29 - 9:58 AM

[shadowgrin]

The Knicks need Arenas more than the Lakers.

[Lamrock]

Probably not. Arenas is really a shooting guard in a broken point guard's body. I'd probably do it if I were the Lakers. Could he be much worse than Fisher/Blake/Morris?

[Andrew]

but i dunno if Gil will be satisfied with just veteran's minimum pay.

I doubt he has much of a choice, that's probably all he's going to get anywhere. If he latches on somewhere and proves he can stay healthy and be productive, perhaps he earns a little more. Until then, I'd say he'll just have to settle to get that shot to prove himself.

[benji]

The more important issue to me is how on earth the Lakers would claim him off the Amnesty Wire. They need to be under the cap to even claim him. Also if he no longer is on the Amnesty wire and somehow already is an unrestricted free agent

"Somehow"? He was waved almost two months ago. You only stay on the waiver wire for 48 hours.

i dunno if Gil will be satisfied with just veteran's minimum pay.

He doesn't really get a say in that if he wants to play in the NBA.

[Fresh8]

The Lakers worked out Morris Peterson a few days ago. They are also interested in trading for Cleveland's Ramon Sessions.

I've read that they are uncertain about Gil - they need to work him out as well as interview him first though.

[Fluke32]

The more important issue to me is how on earth the Lakers would claim him off the Amnesty Wire. They need to be under the cap to even claim him. Also if he no longer is on the Amnesty wire and somehow already is an unrestricted free agent

"Somehow"? He was waved almost two months ago. You only stay on the waiver wire for 48 hours.

I just don't understand the part of him being unrestricted already. He IS an Amnesty player, right? Then doesn't that mean that teams have to go through the bidding process like they did for Chauncey Billups?

i dunno if Gil will be satisfied with just veteran's minimum pay.

He doesn't really get a say in that if he wants to play in the NBA.

Yes he does have a choice. If the Lakers REALLY needed Gil, both the Lakers and his agent need to agree on the contract terms. Anyway, I think the player the Lakers really need is a point guard like Goran Dragic or a D.J. Augustin. Both are easily acquirable through sending picks to either teams for them, and using the Lakers' Trade Exception.

[Andrew]

Sure, he has a choice: accept what's on offer, or don't play in the NBA. He doesn't exactly have any leverage in negotiating a better deal, if he wants to get back into the league his options seem to be limited and there's not going to be much money on the table. Of course, he'll still get the money from his previous contract, so money probably isn't an issue as much as the opportunity to play his way into a better deal next year.

[benji]

I just don't understand the part of him being unrestricted already. He IS an Amnesty player, right? Then doesn't that mean that teams have to go through the bidding process like they did for Chauncey Billups?

Right, and they did, those 48 hours happened almost two months ago.

Nobody bid on him.

[Murat]

Though they shouldn't look at him, they should sign him. Arenas is a great baller.

[rise]

You misspelled "was".

[Murat]

No, I don't. He can help Fakers.

[Andrew]

Given his recurring injury problems and recent performance, there's certainly reason for scepticism.

[Fluke32]

I'd rather the Lakers use up the Trade exception on multiple players and trade away multiple picks first before resorting for a Gilbert Arenas or a J.R. Smith.
What the Lakers need is a good blue collar point guard who can say no to Kobe when Kobe presses the omnitrix and ask for the ball when he thinks it's hero time.

Also I REALLY want Mike brown to get rid of the stupid offensive set that puts their transition defense in jeopardy.. Right now, I'm equating his "Strong Corner offense" = "Weak Transition Defense". in the last game, Utah caught Pau sleeping on the far corner one time, and forced a turnover ON KOBE on top of the key, with Bynum in the post. That sequence resulted into an 2-on-0 fast break with Jeremy Evans putting down the dunk via a backboard throw from Earl Watson. =.=

I can already see other teams exploiting this fact, and it's gonna be a foot race between Kobe and D-Fish vs Young Legs with Ups.

[Jackal]

Was CJ Miles on the dunk from Watson, unless you mean another game.

[Andrew]

I'd rather the Lakers use up the Trade exception on multiple players

I don't think they're actually allowed to do that under the rules of the salary cap. I'm pretty sure it has to match the value of a single contract, give or take a buffer amount.

[Fluke32]

Was CJ Miles on the dunk from Watson, unless you mean another game.

I really couldn't tell from the youtube video and the suck-y local channel video quality who it was, point is, they Mike Brown shouldn't use that set that let's them suffer occasional meltdowns on transition defense.

@Andrew
Based on what I read on the Trade Exception provisions, the Lakers can send picks in return of a player in exchange of a pick AND sending that team a trade exception whose value is the same value the Lakers would take in. If the Lakers used the $8.9M Odom Trade Exception on multiple players, they'll have to send picks for each player to each team they come from if they use the Trade exception on those players.
So for example, if the Lakers Trade using the Trade Exception and trade for Ramon Sessions and J.J. Hickson, the Lakers would have to send a pick for each Cleveland, and Sacramento, then Cleveland get $4.0M trade exception and Sacramento get a $2.4M trade exception while the Lakers' Odom Trade Exception shrinks to $2.5M.