NBA commissioner David Stern has indefinitely suspended Gilbert Arenas, saying the Washington Wizards guard is "not currently fit to take the court" for a game.
Arenas
Stern says in a statement Wednesday that Arenas' actions will "ultimately result in a substantial suspension, and perhaps worse."
Because Arenas violated NBA rules by bringing guns into Washington's locker room, Stern decided to punish Arenas now. He said the suspension begins immediately.
Stern says he originally planned to wait for the criminal investigation to be completed before taking action, and directed the Wizards to do the same.
Every game Arenas ends up missing during the suspension will cost him $147,208.
The suspension comes after multiple media reports over the weekend said that a dispute over a gambling debt led to a conflict between Arenas and teammate 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 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.
http://sports.espn.go.com/nba/news/story?id=4802267
Arenas
Stern says in a statement Wednesday that Arenas' actions will "ultimately result in a substantial suspension, and perhaps worse."
Because Arenas violated NBA rules by bringing guns into Washington's locker room, Stern decided to punish Arenas now. He said the suspension begins immediately.
Stern says he originally planned to wait for the criminal investigation to be completed before taking action, and directed the Wizards to do the same.
Every game Arenas ends up missing during the suspension will cost him $147,208.
The suspension comes after multiple media reports over the weekend said that a dispute over a gambling debt led to a conflict between Arenas and teammate 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 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.
http://sports.espn.go.com/nba/news/story?id=4802267