Arenas Plea Deal Coming?

Gilbert Arenas was charged Thursday with a single count of carrying a pistol without a license, a felony that carries a five-year sentence, but he has reportedly reached a plea agreement that should keep him out of jail, according to sources close to the case.

If Arenas is able to avoid jail time, it would be a major victory in his legal battles considering he has a previous gun charge. Whether he spends time behind bars or not, we don’t expect Arenas to play again this season, and it would also be surprising if he ever plays another game for the Wizards.

Elsewhere around the NBA:

Los Angeles: Los Angeles  Lakers G Kobe Bryant said Thursday that his lower back is “a little tight [but] other than that, I’m fine,” and expects to play against the Clippers on Friday. Bryant says he had a “nice little device” to keep his back loose on the plane ride home from Dallas Wednesday and received more treatment on Thursday.

Los Angeles: Paul Gasol (hamstring) participated fully in Thursday’s practice and expects to play Friday against the Clippers. Though he is still officially listed as day-to-day, Gasol looks like a safe bet for Friday, as both he and Coach Phil Jackson were optimistic about his chances.

Los Angeles: Clippers C Chris Kaman (back) is hoping to play on Friday against the Lakers after a promising MRI report. This may be optimism speaking. We’d like to see a more concrete report before making a recommendation.

Chicago: Luol Deng hit 8-of-13 shots and 9-of-10 free throws for 25 points as the Bulls won their third straight game by beating the Celtics at Boston Celtics. Deng only had two rebounds, but also added four assists, two steals and two blocks. Yes he’s injury prone, and yes he’s playing with a banged up thumb, but he played 40 minutes tonight and doesn’t look like someone planning on shutting it down.

Portland: An MRI Thursday confirmed that Brandon Roy has a strained right hamstring. He remains questionable for Friday’s game against the Orlando Magic. The good news is that the MRI revealed no tears. But the bad news is it’s still a strained hamstring, which doesn’t heal without rest. Roy is still considered questionable for Friday, but he sounded very concerned about the injury Wednesday night, so don’t be surprised if he misses a game or two to let the hamstring heal.

Boston: Paul Pierce played through a sore knee and had 20 points, eight rebounds, six assists and two 3-pointers in Thursday’s loss to the Bulls. The Celtics have already lost six games at home, matching their total home losses for each of the last two seasons.