GILBERT ARENAS RIPS LAKERS AFTER "DISAPPOINTING" LUKE KENNARD TRADE DEADLINE MOVE
Gilbert Arenas slams the Lakers' trade for Luke Kennard as JJ Redick prepares to unleash the 50% shooter in a new 2026 rotation.
On Thursday, February 5, the Lakers made a move and brought in Luke Kennard. He’s known for his shooting, and honestly, they need the extra floor spacing in JJ Redick’s rotation.
Right after the news broke, Gilbert Arenas didn’t hold back on social media. He sounded off about the trade, almost like he’d had enough.
“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 Centre and just try out because at this point they’re allowing anybody on the team,” Arenas said. “What happened to the names? The names made the Lakers… He was a Clipper before! “Fuck him!”
Arenas probably wanted a bigger, flashier move at the deadline—he’s not alone. A lot of Lakers fans felt the same. Even so, Kennard does make the team better. The Lakers have been struggling from deep all year, and Kennard’s shooting should help.
After 50 games, the Lakers rank 21st in three-point percentage, hitting 34.9% on nearly 34 attempts a night. Kennard isn’t just a shooter, either. He can handle the ball a bit, maybe open up the offence with some playmaking, which the Lakers could use when the first option breaks down.
Redick seemed genuinely excited after the Lakers’ 119-115 win over the Sixers. At the postgame press conference, he talked about what Kennard brings.
“I’m excited about Luke,” Redick said. “I’ve known him for about 12 years now, and I think he’s one of the best shooters in the NBA. I’m going to highly encourage him to shoot more and not turn down shots.”
He went on: “One of the underrated parts of his game is his ability to move and create second actions—move the basketball. You’ve seen that at different spots he’s been. You can start the offence with off-ball movement, and he’ll make the right play. He gets the offence moving.”
Kennard played 46 games with the Hawks this season, averaging 7.9 points, 2.2 rebounds, and 2.1 assists. He’s been lights out from three—almost 50% on 3.2 attempts per game. With Redick pushing him to shoot even more, expect that number to go up.
Now that the trade deadline has passed, the Lakers are looking at the buyout market. Haywood Highsmith’s name has come up as a possible target.
Edwin Garcia from Silver Screen and Roll sees Highsmith as a perfect fit. Highsmith had knee surgery after getting traded to the Nets last offseason, had a setback, and hasn’t played this year. The Nets just waived him Thursday morning, but he’s reportedly playing 5-on-5 again and drawing interest. Last season, he averaged 6.5 points and shot 38% from three with the Heat. Shooting like that doesn’t come around often in the buyout market, so if Highsmith’s healthy, he’s interesting.
Rob Pelinka will check out all the options, of course. But on paper, Highsmith could fill a lot of the three-and-d gaps the Lakers have right now.
TY SIMPSON OFFICIALLY ENTERS QB1 CONVERSATION FOR 2026 NFL DRAFT AFTER BAMA RUN
Ty Simpson challenges Heisman winner Fernando Mendoza for QB1 status in the 2026 NFL Draft after a breakout Bama season.
After waiting behind Jalen Milroe, Ty Simpson’s only season as Alabama’s starter has propelled him into serious first-round talk for the 2026 NFL Draft. He’s even being discussed as the top quarterback prospect over Heisman winner Fernando Mendoza, according to ESPN’s Dan Orlovsky.
But not everyone agrees. Former LSU standout Breiden Fehoko tweeted his scepticism: 'Ty Simpson wasn’t even going to start at Bama in 2026, and here y’all go calling him QB1 this draft.' This is how GMs get fired. Watch.
Orlovsky, however, stands by his view that Simpson holds the edge over Mendoza. He pointed out that when comparing their bodies of work, Simpson carried more of the load for his team. The gap, he says, is clear when you consider who had to do more and who won more games during the season: that’s Simpson, no contest.
Mendoza enters the draft after an extraordinary season. He led Indiana to an undefeated national championship and took home the Heisman Trophy. Scouts see him as the most pro-ready passer but have concerns over his pressure-to-sack rate, which hovers around 18.9%, potentially an issue for teams with weak offensive lines.
Meanwhile, Simpson’s draft stock rose sharply during a strong four-game run facing Georgia, Vanderbilt, Missouri, and Tennessee. His upcoming performance at Alabama’s Pro Day could be crucial, especially for teams looking at quarterbacks who bring mobility and playmaking alongside pocket passing.
Simpson’s experience is limited to just 15 college games, thanks to the stacked quarterback depth at Alabama. Still, once he became the starter, he delivered solid numbers: 3,567 passing yards, 28 touchdowns, and only 5 interceptions in the 2025 season.
Former NFL safety Louis Riddick has been vocal about Simpson’s potential. Speaking on ESPN, Riddick said that seeing him throw in person reveals the kind of physical talent Simpson has. He’s confident in Simpson’s mental game but notes the physical attributes will really stand out when seen up close. Riddick expects Simpson to continue improving his draft stock.
Simpson will get another chance to impress scouts at Alabama’s Pro Day on Wednesday, which could be pivotal in shaping his position ahead of the draft.
MASTERS UPDATE: TIGER WOODS CONFIRMS HE WILL ATTEND AUGUSTA NATIONAL "EITHER WAY" FOR 2026
Tiger Woods admits to a "rough road" after a frustrated TGL return, leaving his 2026 Masters status in serious doubt.
Tiger Woods says he’s still trying to get fit for The Masters next month, but he knows the clock’s not exactly on his side.
He made his golf comeback with Jupiter Links GC in Tomorrow’s Golf League, teaming up with Tom Kim and Max Homa. It’s been a while since Woods last played TGL in February 2025, when he tore his Achilles and had disc replacement surgery in his back. So, yeah, it’s been a rough road.
After his return on Tuesday, Woods didn’t sugarcoat things. He gave a pretty honest update about his chances at Augusta this year. You can tell he’s been keeping the door open for the 2026 Masters, but honestly, his appearance for Jupiter Links might’ve shaken up those plans.
Things actually started off looking good. Woods smashed a 279-yard drive on the second hole; it felt like a flash from the old Tiger. But that faded fast. His game unravelled, and by the seventh hole, he missed a three-yard putt, slammed his club into the ground, and his frustration was obvious.
Woods and his teammates just couldn’t keep up, and Jupiter Links ended up losing 9-2 to the Los Angeles Golf Club trio of Justin Rose, Sahith Theegala, and Tommy Fleetwood.
Afterwards, Tiger didn’t hold back: “We got our arse kicked. Three eagles in a row… I missed a short one to give them momentum, and we never got it back.”
Reporters quickly shifted the focus to The Masters. Even after a disappointing night, Woods still wants to play at Augusta National. “I want to play. I love the tournament. I’m going to be there either way with The Loop that's going up there, as well as the champions dinner. We’ll see how it goes. I’ll be practising and playing at home this week and keep trying to make progress.”
Honestly, it’s obvious why Woods wants to tee it up at Augusta. He’s won The Masters five times (1997, 2001, 2002, 2005, and 2019) and made the cut a record 24 times. Looking at how things went in his latest outing, though, it’s hard to picture him adding to those numbers in a few weeks. But if anyone can surprise people, it’s probably Tiger.
