NBA suspends Wizards' Arenas indefinitely
NEW YORK -- The NBA has suspended the Washington Wizards guard Gilbert Arenas indefinitely.
"Although it is clear that the actions of Mr. Arenas will ultimately result in a substantial suspension, and perhaps worse, his ongoing conduct has led me to conclude that he is not currently fit to take the court in an NBA game," commissioner David Stern said in a statement Wednesday. "Accordingly, I am suspending Mr. Arenas indefinitely, without pay, effective immediately pending the completion of the investigation by the NBA."
Multiple media reports over the weekend said that a dispute over a gambling debt led to a conflict between Arenas and Javaris Crittenton.
Multiple sources told ESPN.com that an argument commenced during a card game on the team's overnight flight back to Washington from Phoenix on Dec. 19 and escalated into a heated exchange between Arenas and Crittenton. The Wizards had Dec. 20 off, but sources say hostilities between the two Wizards guards resumed Dec. 21 in the locker room on a practice day.
Sources say that Arenas, in response to what was said on the flight, placed the three guns on a chair near Crittenton's locker stall and invited him to pick one before practice on Dec. 21. Sources said that Crittenton subsequently let Arenas know that he had his own gun.
The Washington Post reported in Sunday's editions that Arenas, according to sources, was expecting Crittenton to see the guns on his chair as a joke based on the earlier back-and-forth on the plane, during which Crittenton allegedly said that he would shoot Arenas in his surgically repaired knee. But Crittenton, according to Post, reacted angrily and tossed one of the guns to the floor, saying he had his own.
In his statement, Arenas confirmed that the guns were brought out at the Dec. 21 practice.
"As I have said before, I had kept the four unloaded handguns in my house in Virginia but then moved them over to my locker at the Verizon Center to keep them away from my young kids," the statement read. "I brought them without any ammunition into the District of Columbia, mistakenly believing that the recent change in the D.C. gun laws allowed a person to store unloaded guns in the District. On Monday, December 21st, I took the unloaded guns out in a misguided effort to play a joke on a teammate.
Contrary to some press accounts, I never threatened or assaulted anyone with the guns and never pointed them at anyone. Joke or not, I now recognize that what I did was a mistake and was wrong. I should not have brought the guns to D.C. in the first place, and I now realize that there's no such thing as joking around when it comes to guns -- even if unloaded."
Arenas met with law enforcement officials on Monday to explain why he had guns at the Verizon Center last month.
Arenas' lawyer issued a statement saying that the player met with federal prosecutors at the United States Attorney's Office for the District of Columbia and detectives of the Metropolitan Police Department for more than two hours.
At the NBA's request, the firearms language was bolstered during collective bargaining in 2005. Players are subject to discipline if they bring guns to the arena or practice facility, or even an offsite promotional appearance.
NEW YORK -- The NBA has suspended the Washington Wizards guard Gilbert Arenas indefinitely.
"Although it is clear that the actions of Mr. Arenas will ultimately result in a substantial suspension, and perhaps worse, his ongoing conduct has led me to conclude that he is not currently fit to take the court in an NBA game," commissioner David Stern said in a statement Wednesday. "Accordingly, I am suspending Mr. Arenas indefinitely, without pay, effective immediately pending the completion of the investigation by the NBA."
Multiple media reports over the weekend said that a dispute over a gambling debt led to a conflict between Arenas and Javaris Crittenton.
Multiple sources told ESPN.com that an argument commenced during a card game on the team's overnight flight back to Washington from Phoenix on Dec. 19 and escalated into a heated exchange between Arenas and Crittenton. The Wizards had Dec. 20 off, but sources say hostilities between the two Wizards guards resumed Dec. 21 in the locker room on a practice day.
Sources say that Arenas, in response to what was said on the flight, placed the three guns on a chair near Crittenton's locker stall and invited him to pick one before practice on Dec. 21. Sources said that Crittenton subsequently let Arenas know that he had his own gun.
The Washington Post reported in Sunday's editions that Arenas, according to sources, was expecting Crittenton to see the guns on his chair as a joke based on the earlier back-and-forth on the plane, during which Crittenton allegedly said that he would shoot Arenas in his surgically repaired knee. But Crittenton, according to Post, reacted angrily and tossed one of the guns to the floor, saying he had his own.
In his statement, Arenas confirmed that the guns were brought out at the Dec. 21 practice.
"As I have said before, I had kept the four unloaded handguns in my house in Virginia but then moved them over to my locker at the Verizon Center to keep them away from my young kids," the statement read. "I brought them without any ammunition into the District of Columbia, mistakenly believing that the recent change in the D.C. gun laws allowed a person to store unloaded guns in the District. On Monday, December 21st, I took the unloaded guns out in a misguided effort to play a joke on a teammate.
Contrary to some press accounts, I never threatened or assaulted anyone with the guns and never pointed them at anyone. Joke or not, I now recognize that what I did was a mistake and was wrong. I should not have brought the guns to D.C. in the first place, and I now realize that there's no such thing as joking around when it comes to guns -- even if unloaded."
Arenas met with law enforcement officials on Monday to explain why he had guns at the Verizon Center last month.
Arenas' lawyer issued a statement saying that the player met with federal prosecutors at the United States Attorney's Office for the District of Columbia and detectives of the Metropolitan Police Department for more than two hours.
At the NBA's request, the firearms language was bolstered during collective bargaining in 2005. Players are subject to discipline if they bring guns to the arena or practice facility, or even an offsite promotional appearance.
interesting how reports still say there was a "confrontation" between the two players when, if Hibachi is telling the truth, that's a pretty poor choice of words. I'd say if he's being honest that it's a lot of fuss over nothing. again, if he's being honest they should spin this into a positive as he was clearly trying to be responsible.
is it just me, or does anyone else think Arenas is a DEAD RINGER for Detective Green from Law and Order....
I mean, i think the guys could pass for each other, in a crowded room without anyone noticing...
kinda like that player for wisky basketball that looks just like Chris Rock......its uncanny
I mean, i think the guys could pass for each other, in a crowded room without anyone noticing...
kinda like that player for wisky basketball that looks just like Chris Rock......its uncanny
hno:I can't believe he did that last night....initially I thought the photo was dug up from a while ago. WHAT AN IDIOT!
Dang it all...Had a trade offer in my one NBAFantLeague from another owner less than two weeks ago.
He offered Andrew Bynum to me for Al Horford (pretty even swap) but also wanted me to give him Arenas in exchange for Tony Parker to which I replied, "hahahahahahahaha"
Sounds GREAT now....
He offered Andrew Bynum to me for Al Horford (pretty even swap) but also wanted me to give him Arenas in exchange for Tony Parker to which I replied, "hahahahahahahaha"
Sounds GREAT now....
As a huge Arenas fan I can not tell you how mad I am. I spent the last two years waiting and waiting for Gil to come back from his injury. Then finally this year he came back. Things had not been going well as the team had been losing, but still I kept saying we have the talent to turn it around.
Then this happens. I want to defend him because Gil has built up credits here in DC for how great he has been to the community and fans. But last night was utterly pathetic. He never should have mocked the situation.
What makes me even more upset is I saved up $1000 over the summer and bought a 10 game package just to see Gilbert play this season. Now that has been taken away from me. I'm furious. Stern should give him a 10 game suspension and a fine. Anything other than that is overkill IMO. Us fans are the ones who are really suffering.
Then this happens. I want to defend him because Gil has built up credits here in DC for how great he has been to the community and fans. But last night was utterly pathetic. He never should have mocked the situation.
What makes me even more upset is I saved up $1000 over the summer and bought a 10 game package just to see Gilbert play this season. Now that has been taken away from me. I'm furious. Stern should give him a 10 game suspension and a fine. Anything other than that is overkill IMO. Us fans are the ones who are really suffering.
That is incorrect, he NEVER pointed a gun at anyone. The media reporting is so pathetic anymore. No accountability.
There was nothing malicious done. He had unloaded, registered firearms in his lockbox. The guns were not registered in DC, but they were in VA, where he lives just across the river from DC.
