The talk of the NBA this week has been about the suspension of Wizards' superstar Gilbert Arenas, and his actions before the suspension. Arenas brought four guns to the Verizon Center, and it's been reported that Arenas and teammate Javaris Crittenton had a dispute about a gambling debt in which the guns were brought out. It was reported by the Washington Post yesterday that Crittenton pulled out his own handgun, loaded it and chambered a round. Crittenton has denied that, saying "I have done nothing wrong."
Commissioner David Stern maintained the stance before that he would let the legal process run its course before he makes a decision on the future of Arenas. However, earlier this week, Arenas constantly joked around with the situation, stating that he was more afraid of Stern because he is "mean." Arenas also did a pregame dance against the 76ers earlier this week with his hand in a gun motion pointing at his teammates. Stern clearly thought Arenas wasn't taking the situation seriously, and acted swiftly to suspend him instead of waiting for the legal process to conclude.
Stern made the right decision in suspending Arenas immediately. Stern needs to protect the image of the NBA, which many people think has a bunch of thugs. Other NBA players who have been in trouble with guns are Stephen Jackson and Sebastian Telfair. Telfair was involved with incidents regarding guns twice. Arenas didn't make a smart move by bringing the guns to the Verizon Center. He initially tried to justify the guns being in a lock box by saying he recently had a daughter and he wanted to get the guns out of the house. That's easy. Turn the guns in to local authorities. They'll be glad to get guns off of your hands. Bringing it to the arena was dumb because it could've turned disastrous.
Arenas wasn't completely wrong for making light of the situation. What good does it do if he constantly repeats himself and apologizes with a grim face to the media? It does nothing. He was still completely wrong and stupid for bringing them. Arenas should not be getting heat for his pregame antics before the 76ers game, or the countless interviews he's done where he's joking around. His contract also should not be terminated by the Wizards. They had to know the guns were there. If not, they would've said so at the beginning of all of this. The only way they should void his contract is if he does substantial time in prison. The Wizards are to blame as well and should get a hefty fine.
The actions of Arenas and Crittenton will damage the NBA's reputation, which has taken a hit with the brawl at the Palace of Auburn Hills in 2004 involving Ron Artest, Stephen Jackson and Jermaine O'Neal. The gun incidents involving Telfair doesn't help either. The NBA shouldn't be looked at as a league of thugs but they'll have to do more community service outside of NBA Cares programs to show they really care and that they aren't thugs.
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