Lakers Rumors: Rasheed Wallace, Gilbert Arenas and Veterans LA Must Avoid

The Los Angeles Lakers are a playoff team, but they aren't going to win a championship with the roster the way it's presently constructed. The thing they have to be careful of, though, is that they don't go add people for the sake of adding someone. 

It could be just as easy for the Lakers to have subtraction by addition. They need to be careful about who they add.

Here are four names to be wary of, and one to consider. 

Allen Iverson

What do you get when you mix one of the hardest-practicing players in the history of the NBA with the owner of the most famous anti-practice rant in the history of YouTube?

Arenas wants to repair his image, and maybe he could, but the gamble is probably too high for the Lakers to take.

Iverson's game was already seriously dipping long before he went to Turkey, and it's been two years since his last game. 

Two years of not playing is not a good way of improving your game.

Iverson would be huge-risk, low-reward scenario with little chance of the payoff that he's going to impact the team in a positive way. 

Rasheed Wallace

This sounded like a done deal not too long ago.

CSNNE reported on February 24, "CSNNE.com has learned that the former Boston Celtics forward plans to sign with the Los Angeles Lakers."

There was just one catch. Someone forgot to tell the Lakers.

As you may already know, a quick look at the Lakers' roster two weeks later does not reveal the name Rasheed Wallace on it. 

That's a good thing. The only good thing about signing Rasheed Wallace would be it would make Kobe Bryant look like the guy who never gets technicals. 

He's another case of a prolonged absence not likely to allow a deteriorating game get better.

Let someone else take the gamble. The Lakers aren't going to get much help from him, and it's hard to grasp why they would even consider it. 

Gilbert Arenas

Back on Feb 20, the Lakers worked out Gilbert Arenas, who was still rehabbing his knee.

SI.com reported:

"

So where did you leave things with the Lakers after your workout?

Arenas: That was kind of weird, the situation. I was actually training in New York, and my agent, Dan Fegan, told me to come out and work out for the Lakers. 

My whole thing is, I don't want to play for anybody until I'm finished rehabbing and finished doing what I need to do, so that's not going to happen until at least All-Star break. So I decided, "Well, I'll just go out there and work out."

"

Well, now it's after the All-Star break and nothing has happened.

That's probably a good thing. Arenas simply is one of those players that destroys team chemistry.

He literally defecated in Andray Blatche's shoes and then tried to justify it. 

Do you see that sitting with Kobe Bryant? 

Kirk Hinrich

HoopsWorld reports:

"

Los Angeles has also been pursuing Kirk Hinrich in recent weeks. The Lakers have been linked to Hinrich in the past and the Atlanta Hawks would move the veteran point guard if the right deal came along. The two teams have had conversations in recent weeks.

Hinrich missed the first month of the season after recovering from shoulder surgery, but has been effective since returning. He’s currently backing up Jeff Teague and while his numbers don’t jump off the page, he does a good job managing Atlanta’s offense and he’s still a stellar perimeter defender. This season, Hinrich is averaging 4.9 points and 2.6 assists. 

"

A few years ago, Kirk Hinrich would have been a splendid addition to the Lakers.

He was a good scorer, a three-point shooter, an All-Defense player and a great teammate. 

Then he spent the better part of two years getting injured and rehabbing. Now he's averaging 5.1 points and 2.5 assists per game and shooting just .351, and .273 from deep. 

Also, defensively, while the HoopsWorld report says he's playing "stellar perimeter" defense, the 18.3 Opponent's Player Efficiency Rating  (worst on the Hawks) and 1.02 points per play surrendered suggest that "stellar" is an incredibly generous description of what is more aptly characterized as "horrible." 

There's a sliver of a chance that he could return to his old ways, but he's on the wrong side of 30, and it's unlikely he's going to be back to his prime anytime soon, if ever.

He's not a player that is going to be offering what the Lakers need. They should take a pass on any further consideration of Hinrich. 

One to Consider: Mike James

There is nothing to indicate they are looking in this direction, but maybe they should.

One player worth considering if the Lakers don't trade for anyone is Mike James, who was recently let go by the Chicago Bulls. 

James played well in his limited minutes with the Bulls, averaging 18.0 points and 10.5 assists per 36 minutes, touting an eFG percentage of .474. 

While he's not going to be averaging numbers that prodigious playing with the Lakers, it's reasonable to think he could be hitting around 12 points and seven assists per game as a starter for the Lakers.

Additionally, he's a veteran with championship experience. 

You can do a lot worse than that from a veteran. If you don't believe me, just look at the earlier slides.