Michael Jordan's ex-teammate calls out irony in Gilbert Arenas labeling PJ Tucker a locker room 'poison' - "He should know"
NBA legend Ron Harper, who was a part of the champion Chicago Bulls team with Michael Jordan in the late 1990s, criticized Gilbert Arenas for blasting former LA Clippers forward PJ Tucker and calling Tucker a "poison" to the team. The five-time champion said that it's ironic that such a claim would come from 'Agent Zero' considering his own history of being difficult to deal with.
Three-time NBA All-Star Arenas spoke about Tucker on the Gils Arena Show on Tuesday. He reacted to the news that the Clippers and Tucker had agreed to part ways after the veteran player had expressed discontent with his role on the team.
Gilbert Arenas shared that the Clippers were right in staying away from the disgruntled forward to preserve harmony within the team while lashing out at Tucker for acting like he's the star. He even compared Tucker with Giannis Antetokounmpo's brother Thanasis, who he believes is more deserving to get paid and earn a roster spot:
"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."
Harper, who also won titles with the LA Lakers, picked up on what Arenas said, turning the tables on the explosive guard and reminding him of his own difficult ways while he was playing. He commented on the post of NBA Central on X, formerly Twitter:
"He should know about poison a locker room."
Tucker came to the Clippers last season along with Harden in a deal with the Philadelphia 76ers. He only played 28 games, which didn't sit well with him, and averaged 1.6 points and 2.5 rebounds in 15 minutes.
Gilbert Arenas' gun trouble while with the Washington Wizards
While Ron Harper didn't go into details over what he had said, he could well be speaking about Gilbert Arenas' gun trouble while playing and starring for the Washington Wizards.
In 2010, Arenas was the subject of federal and local authorities after admitting to bringing guns inside the Wizards' locker room after he had an argument over a card game prior with teammate Javaris Crittenton, who also had a gun.
He and Crittenton were suspended by the league without pay for the remainder of the season. They later pleaded guilty for misdemenour weapons charges and were sentenced to probation.
Gilbert Arenas never saw action for the Wizards after that, as he was traded to the Orlando Magic the next season, ending a run that saw him become a three-time All-Star and the most improved player in 2003.