Gilbert Arenas: ‘Bol Bol is the pretty girl with a bad attitude’

Gilbert Arenas: @kingjames can y’all drug test @austinreaves12 PLS…this man didn’t say (IVERSON) but roy and the only person we call roy is (Roy fucking gatorade drinking on the bench ass HIBBERT) 😂😂😂😂😂😂😂😂😂😂 don’t confuse him with 🗣️B-ROY Mr natural aka Mr smooth, Mr7 #MrROY 💯 Austin next outburst like that and u will be traded to the sister team (clippers) 😇😂💯 -via Instagram / July 22, 2023

Former NBA All-Star Gilbert Arenas, one who is never known to mince words, called out Embiid on his podcast “Gil’s Arena”: The problem with him is going to always be he does enough individually for us not to look at him…32, that (expletive) sounds cool. I mean, it’s amazing. Now if I said all right, how about this? Let me take Greek’s (Giannis Antetokounmpo) energy, give it to Embiid. What the (expletive) does he average? Oh, 40. Then what the (expletive) are you happy with? 32. Do more. Why the (expletive) are you happy with 32? If I give him someone else’s energy, that he doesn’t have and say, alright, what would he be? Oh! The (expletive) would average 40 and this! That’s what I’m saying. He needs the average to get this team to another level. Like when he—and this is the problem. When he was disrespected about the (Nikola) Jokic and he gave the man 50. That’s what it took for you to just say ‘Alright, I’m about to be done’. Why the (expletive) you not doing that every (expletive) game. If you’re talking about winning a championship, that’s what you’re going to have to do Superman…For me, and looking at the teams he had with his talent, unstoppable. Yes, it’s him. If we put Shaq (O’Neal) on any of those teams? -via Sixers Wire / July 20, 2023

Gilbert Arenas on Ben Simmons getting all the blame for 76ers playoff failures: Well, he didn’t say anything. Technically he didn’t say anything. He didn’t say anything a’right. If we are gonna put blame on someone, I am always gonna blame the most talented and the most naturally gifted of the group and that is gonna be Joel Embiid. Right? It reminds me of what Shaquille O’Neal was to Kobe Bryant. You have this guy who is hungry, he wants to win, he wants to be the best that he can be. And then he sees this ultra god-gifted player not tapping into his potential! A’right you’ve got Kobe sitting there coming 3-4 times a day. Shaq is like I am gonna show up when I show up then I go out there and give you 30, 18 rebounds and Kobe is like if you practice 3 times a day, no one on this planet can guard you. That’s the Joel Embiid thing with me like bro you are so gifted. If you put in hours and hours and hours on your craft, you will be unstoppable to the point where Ben Simmons is just… You’re supposed to be carrying this team with your dominance but you’re not and we are blaming everyone else.” -via YouTube / July 19, 2023

Tim Hardaway on Bol Bol and Victor Wembanyama comparisons: I think [Bol Bol] is better than Victor Wembanyama. Bol Bol has better physical talent and is more ready to play in the NBA right now than Victor is. …. Frank Vogel wanted him, he wanted him to be there and stay there. He wanted him as an anchor to block shots, throw lobs to and get easy buckets with. -via Twitter / July 20, 2023

Yossi Gozlan: The Phoenix Suns will reduce their tax penalty by approximately $18M by dumping Cameron Payne and replacing him with Bol Bol on a minimum salary. Strange move considering Payne’s salary was only $2M guaranteed before this month. Suns generate a $6.5M trade exception. The San Antonio Spurs have $5.2M left in cap space after acquiring Cameron Payne. They can reach $8.4M if they rescind Tre Jones’ qualifying offer before re-signing him, and up to $9.9M if they waive Lamar Stevens ($400K guaranteed), who becomes fully guaranteed tomorrow. -via Twitter @YossiGozlan / July 16, 2023

Shams Charania: In total from the Suns: – Bol Bol signed on a one-year fully guaranteed deal – Acquired three second-rounders from Orlando for a pick swap – Traded Payne, a second and cash to Spurs for a future second -via Twitter @ShamsCharania / July 16, 2023