Former NBA star Gilbert Arenas publicly apologized to Luke Kennard after initially criticizing the Los Angeles Lakers for acquiring him at the trade deadline.
Arenas had previously reacted harshly to the move, questioning the direction of the Lakers’ roster and expressing frustration over the type of player the franchise added. Following the trade, he criticized the organization for what he viewed as a lack of star power in the acquisition and reacted emotionally to the deal.
The Lakers acquired Kennard from the Atlanta Hawks ahead of the 3 p.m. ET deadline, sending guard Gabe Vincent and a 2032 second-round pick in exchange for the veteran sharpshooter. At the time, Arenas voiced disappointment that Los Angeles did not pursue a bigger-name addition.
On the latest episode of Gil’s Arena, however, Arenas reversed course and issued a direct apology.
“I’ll take Luke Kennard. I’m sorry, Luke Kennard is an All-Star compared to what we had before. Like I’m sorry, I’m just going to be honest with you,” Arenas said. “Like I was thinking we was about to get some real stuff. So my mind was here. I was here with it… like filet right here wagyu, they brought me some free range chicken, I wasn’t in chicken so I threw it out. Now I’m hungry, the chicken good, the chicken real good.”
Gilbert Arenas apologized to Luke Kennard for saying he didn’t want him on the Lakers
“I’ll take Luke Kennard. I’m sorry, Luke Kennard is an All-Star compared to what we had before. Like I’m sorry, I’m just going to be honest with you. Like I was thinking we was about to get… pic.twitter.com/qXiD2lxLaf
— NBA Courtside (@NBA__Courtside) February 11, 2026
Luke Kennard’s early impact shifts narrative after Lakers trade reaction
Arenas’ remarks reflected a shift in tone after seeing Kennard’s early production in Los Angeles. Since arriving, the 29-year-old guard has averaged 10.3 points, 2.7 assists and 1.7 rebounds per game while shooting 60% from the field, 44.4% from three-point range and 100% from the free-throw line across three appearances, including one start. He has logged 26 minutes per contest, providing spacing and secondary playmaking.
Kennard’s strongest performance with the Lakers came in a 136-108 loss to the San Antonio Spurs on Tuesday night. He finished with 14 points, five assists and two rebounds while shooting 5-for-8 from the field, 1-for-3 from three-point range and 3-for-3 from the free-throw line in 28 minutes.
The Lakers (32-21) currently sit sixth in the Western Conference standings and will attempt to snap a two-game losing streak when they host the Dallas Mavericks (19-34) on Thursday night at 7:00 p.m. ET on Prime Video. The matchup closes out the first half of Los Angeles’ season before the league breaks for All-Star festivities at Intuit Dome in Los Angeles.
While Arenas’ initial reaction drew attention for its intensity, his apology acknowledged Kennard’s immediate impact and underscored how quickly perceptions can shift following a midseason trade.
