The Los Angeles Lakers are synonymous with winning. Since 1980 the storied franchise has played for the championship 16 times (winning 10) and established itself as the standard for excellence. The level of expectation in LA is higher than other basketball cities and right now there's a lot of concern for Laker Nation.
A month into the season the Lakers have a modest 12-9 record with a dismal 2-7 performance on the road. If the playoffs started today they would be in a 3 way tie for the last spot. The offense is stagnant since the departure of Lamar Kardashian and Metta World Peace hasn't been the same player since the public has forgiven him for the Auburn Palace melee. Kobe Bryant's quest for immortality will always keep the team competitive, but it's obvious the Lakers are going to need help if the intend to make a run for the title.
Enter Gilbert Arenas. The controversial point guard has been out of the league since the Orlando Magic released him and until recently there were no inquiries for his services. At his best Arenas is a lethal scorer capable of averaging 30 points a game and worthy of the nickname "Hibachi." At his worst Arenas will bring guns into the locker room, send tweets during the halftime of games, and get into altercations with his teammates.
It would be a huge risk for the Lakers to acquire Arenas, but one I think they should take. Players seem to respond better when they know it's their last chance to prove themselves. In addition, the Lakers will have him on a short leash. One flare up with the Black Mamba and Agent Zero will be reassigned permanently. If nothing else LA is exhausting every resource to make the team better and you have to respect them for that. Good luck Gilbert. I hope the experiment works out for everyone.
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