Gilbert Arenas SLAMS NBA champion for ‘poisoning locker room’ amidst Clippers turmoil
Gilbert Arenas wants P. J. Tucker to embrace his reduced role and stop thinking that he is a star in the Los Angeles Clippers team.
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Los Angeles Clippers star P.J. Tucker is a locker room poison as per Gilbert Arenas
Many teams in the NBA have almost locked up their rosters for the 2024-25 season. Some might only have a couple of spots to sort out before the regular season starts on October 22.
The Los Angeles Clippers are one of the teams looking to figure out their role players. One of the players looking for a long-term contract is P. J. Tucker. However, his approach to the situation has irked Gilbert Arenas.
The former All-Star was speaking with his panel on his Gil’s Arena show. When the topic of Tucker’s stance on his contract came up, he slammed the Clippers player.
You know who you are as a player. You know you wasn’t really a starter. If I gotta pay somebody $5 million, Thanasis will be paid $5 million before you P.J. I’m sorry, how he presents himself, I know he’s not going to poison the rest of the team. You should be more of Thanasis than acting like James Harden is all I’m saying.
Gilbert Arenas said
Arenas alluded that P. J. Tucker is looking for starter money even though he hasn’t been one. The Clippers have been at odds with him ever since he exercised his player option for this season. That player option is worth $11.54 million for 2024-25.
PJ Tucker away from the Clippers Indefinitely pic.twitter.com/kn1yLTiVMx
— Gilbert Arenas (@GilsArenaShow) October 7, 2024
It is an amount that is significantly higher than what he has been worth to the team over the past season. Gilbert Arenas felt that the forward’s demands may have had a detrimental effect in the locker room.
Instead of paying him, Arenas would rather pay the mid-level exception $5 million to Milwaukee Bucks’ Thanasis Antetokounmpo. The former NBA player feels that Antetokounmpo might accept a lower salary to play considering his age and what he brings to the floor.
P.J. Tucker could end up leaving Clippers
P. J. Tucker is 39 years old and has averaged 5.5 points and 1.5 rebounds, not incredible numbers to match his salary. But he brings a veteran presence to the Los Angeles Clippers team that needs some mature heads in the locker room. Their younger players need to understand the nuances when entering the playoffs.
The team has recently lost two veterans in Russell Westbrook and Paul George. Keeping Tucker will help the bench play better and even shore up the defense. The Clippers will want to continue their efforts of fighting for the NBA title and experienced heads will be needed for that. While Tucker brings that to the table, his lack of scoring remains concerning.
At that salary, the Los Angeles Clippers can possibly find a better player. The team is trying to trade him as it needs players who can help with scoring. As of now, Tucker has decided to stay away from the team until a solution is reached.
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Joseph Varghese
(2323 Articles Published)