Bravado, guns and stupidity will cost Gilbert Arenas and Javaris Crittenton millions of dollars and a chance to return to the basketball court this season. NBA commissioner David Stern decided to suspend Arenas and Crittenton for the remainder of the 2009-10 season after the two brought guns to the Verizon Center locker room in December.
Stern decided to suspend the players after meeting with Arenas and Crittenton and determining that the two broke the NBA’s player conduct code.
“The issue here is not about the legal ownership and possession of guns, either in one’s home or elsewhere,” Stern said during a press conference. “It is about possession of guns in the NBA workplace, which will not be tolerated. They have expressed remorse for their actions and an understanding of the seriousness of their transgressions. Both have volunteered to engage in community service in order to turn the lessons they have learned into an educational message for others. I accept fully the sincerity of their expressions of regret and intent to create something positive from this incident. Nevertheless, there is no justification for their conduct. Accordingly, I am today converting Mr. Arenas’ indefinite suspension without pay to a suspension without pay for the remainder of the 2009-10 season, and am also suspending Mr. Crittenton without pay, effective immediately, for the remainder of the 2009-10 season.”
Arenas will accept his suspension, but Crittenton may decide to challenge the ruling.
–amir shaw
