Wizards guard Gilbert Arenas apologizes for faking knee injury

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Washington Wizards guard Gilbert Arenas just can’t win.

First he gets in trouble for possibly endangering teammates. Now he’s in trouble for trying to help out one of his teammates.

Arenas has been fined for pretending to have a sore knee prior to the Wizards’ preseason home opener against Atlanta on Tuesday, Coach Flip Saunders said Wednesday. It would have been Arenas’ first game in D.C. since serving a 50-game suspension and being convicted of bringing guns into the locker room last season.

Arenas didn’t play Tuesday. Afterward, he told reporters he made up the injury so teammate Nick Young could start. Young made the most of the opportunity, scoring 24 points in the 107-92 victory.

Arenas offered an apology while talking to reporters Wednesday after practice.

‘I lied to coach and told him my knee was sore so he could start Nick,’ Arenas said. ‘Obviously, no one’s taken it well. I was just trying to help out Nick, get some playing time under his belt because he’s been working hard at practice. I screwed up again, so I just want to say, ‘Sorry.’ ‘

He added: ‘I messed up again. I’ll never do it again.’

-- Chuck Schilken