NBA Rumors: LA Lakers Still Lukewarm on Former Star Gilbert Arenas

Gilbert Arenas has fallen off the map of NBA superstars, landing at the lowly outskirts of a basketball gym where he will hold an audition. 

The LA Lakers may or may not go to see Arenas later this week when he suits up to put on a show. That hardly negates the fact that they have certifiable issues in their backcourt right now. 

Derek Fisher's production has waned this season and the bench is getting mighty depleted. Steve Blake is still out, nursing a rib injury. 

Oh, and did we mention Kobe Bryant is still playing with a torn ligament in his shooting hand? While he has maneuvered past that injury nicely, it doesn't help that he is carrying the load on this team that is falling quickly from the label of contenders. 

So you would think they would jump at the chance to take a look at Arenas, who will be holding an audition of sorts in the LA area. 

CBS Sports' Ken Berger reports that isn't exactly how it goes. 

"

Mitch Kupchak is awaiting word on details of a workout Gilbert Arenas is planning in Los Angeles later this week and is open-minded about attending...

Although the Lakers have publicly been noncommittal about whether to pursue the three-time All-Star, Kupchak has nothing to lose by evaluating Arenas as a potential solution to the team's point guard woes...

"

One source told Berger that the Lakers would take a look at Arenas. Kupchak is playing it cool right now as he assesses all possible avenues to settle his backcourt conundrums. 

Chris Broussard of ESPN reports Lakers officials have asked about the availability of point guard Johnny Flynn. 

There is also a report from The Sporting News that reminds us Ramon Sessions in in the Lakers' sights as well. 

Arenas should be a far more enticing prospect than he is, and this may just be Kupchak's way of not showing his hand. 

The Lakers could grab Arenas on the cheap and certainly toss him back aside if the experiment went awry. There is no reason to trade for two mediocre guards when one former great one is out there for free. 

Arenas may not be what he used to, but he is certainly worth gamble. The Lakers could sure use at least a modicum of what Arenas was as an NBA superstar.

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