Gilbert Arenas has turned his frustration over the Los Angeles Lakers’ latest trade into a public broadside aimed directly at Shams Charania.
The former NBA guard reacted angrily after the Los Angeles Lakers acquired Luke Kennard from the Atlanta Hawks ahead of the trade deadline.
What began as criticism of the move itself quickly expanded into a wider attack on how the deal was presented to fans.
Gilbert Arenas unloads after Luke Kennard trade
The Lakers sent Gabe Vincent and a 2032 second-round pick to the Hawks in exchange for Luke Kennard, a move intended to add shooting and spacing to the roster.
Arenas made it clear he saw the trade as another sign that the franchise has drifted away from the star-driven identity he associates with the Lakers.
“At this point, I’m just going to take matters into my own hands. Every hooper that can still hoop, we’re going to go down to Crypto Center and we’re just going to go try out because at this point they’re allowing anybody on the team,” Arenas said.
He followed that by questioning the overall direction of the roster. “Damn, what happened to the names. The names made the Lakers,” Arenas added.
Arenas targets Shams Charania and labels Kennard ‘tofu’
Arenas then turned his attention to the reporting of the trade, firing a sarcastic message at NBA insider Shams Charania.
In a post on X, Arenas mocked the gap between expectations and reality, writing, “Aye Shams Charania, US Lakers fans wanted Japanese A5 Kobe Beef Wagyu as a player, and you brung [sic] us TOFU with steak juice NEWS. I’m rolling over in my grave right now.”
He also singled out Kennard directly while venting his frustration. “F—— Kennard. Out of everybody in the NBA. Bring back Quincy. I’d rather take Quincy than him. At least he knows how to get buckets. He was a Clipper before. F— him,” Arenas said.
Despite the backlash, the Lakers are focused on integrating Kennard as they navigate a crowded Western Conference playoff race.
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