Lakers Rumors: Gilbert Arenas Would Be Better Than Nothing

The Los Angeles Lakers are used to having a strong bench. This season has therefore required a little adjusting.

It's no secret that the Lakers have a weak bench, and there is no point in sugarcoating it. The Lakers are good enough to make the postseason, but they're not getting to the finals with this bench. At the very least, they need to add someone who can step in and score a few points.

Three-time All-Star Gilbert Arenas is on their radar. Various reports have made it clear that the Lakers are interested in Arenas, and the latest from Adrian Wojnarowski of Yahoo! Sports says the Lakers have been looking over workout tapes of Arenas recently and they're "likely" to watch him work out in person "in the next few days."

It's been a rough couple of years for Arenas, and he made it abundantly clear in the 2010-11 season that he's just not the player he once was. Between the Washington Wizards and Orlando Magic, Arenas only started 16 games, and he saw a huge decrease in playing time and production after he joined the Magic.

Because of that, acquiring Arenas wouldn't exactly be acquiring the Sixth Man of the Year. He's not going to step in and replace the production the Lakers may have gotten from Lamar Odom.

Still, Arenas would be better than nothing. He wouldn't have to do too much on the Lakers. As long as he could step in and knock down a few shots, he would be a good get.

Remember, the Lakers have a roster spot open after cutting Derrick Caracter on Tuesday. When they cut Caracter, Alex Kennedy of HOOPSWORLD opined on Twitter that the Lakers would be looking at guards. If the Lakers like what they see in Arenas, they could easily extend a hand (and a contract).

If they do, the Lakers wouldn't be gambling too much. It's not as if adding Arenas would make their bench any worse. Signing him would be a low-risk, and potentially high-reward transaction.

But first, Arenas has to impress the Lakers in person. If he can't even do that, one will have to start wondering if there's a home for Arenas anywhere around the NBA.