Gilbert Arenas apologizes to Luke Kennard after initial trade backlash

Former NBA star Gilbert Arenas publicly apologized yes Luke Kennard after initially criticizing the Los Angeles Lakers for acquiring him at the trade deadline.

Arenas previously reacted strongly to the move, questioning the direction of the Lakers’ roster and expressing frustration with the type of players the franchise has added. After the trade, he criticized the organization for what he saw as a lack of star power in the acquisition and reacted emotionally to the deal.

The The Lakers acquired Kennard from the Atlanta Hawks before the 3 p.m. ET deadline, sending guard Gabe Vincent and a 2032 second-round pick in exchange for the veteran shooter. At the time, Arenas expressed disappointment that Los Angeles didn’t pursue a bigger-name addition.

However, on the latest episode of Gil’s Arena, Arenas reversed course and issued a direct apology.

“I’m going to 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 thought we were going to get some real stuff. So my mind was here. I was here with him… like a filet here wagyu, they brought me some free range chicken, I wasn’t into chicken so I threw it out. Now I’m hungry, the chicken is good, the chicken is really good.”

Gilbert Arenas apologized to Luke Kennard for saying he didn’t want him on the Lakers

“I’m going to 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 thought we were going to get … pic.twitter.com/kKsiD2lkLaf

— NBA Courtside (@NBA__Courtside) February 11, 2026

Luke Kennard’s early impact changes the narrative after the Lakers’ trade backlash

Arenas’ remarks reflected a change 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 in three appearances, including one start. He logged 26 minutes per contest, providing spacing and secondary play.

Kennard’s strongest performance with the Lakers was a 136-108 loss to the San Antonio Spurs on Tuesday evening. 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 in sixth place in the Western Conference standings and will look to snap a two-game losing streak when host Dallas Mavericks (19-34) on Thursday nights at 7:00 PM ET on Prime Video. The game concludes the first half of the season in Los Angeles before the league break for the All-Star festivities at the 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 change after a midseason trade.