Washington Wizards guard Gilbert Arenas is being investigated by the NBA and his team for possible league weapons rules violations in connection with the alleged possession of a firearm.
News of the investigation was first reported by CBSSports.com earlier today [Thursday], and the Wizards released a statement on the matter later in the day.
“The Washington Wizards have learned that Gilbert Arenas stored firearms in a locked container in his locker, unloaded and without ammunition,” the Wizards’ statement read. “The Wizards organization and Arenas promptly notified the local authorities and the NBA, are cooperating fully with law enforcement during its review of this matter and will have no further comment at this time.”
The league’s collective bargaining agreement does not forbid players from legally owning firearms, but it does prohibit weapons on league property.
Arenas has explained himself this way to The Washington Times:
The NBA fined then-Portland Trail Blazer Sebastian Telfair an undisclosed amount in 2006 for carrying a loaded handgun registered in his girlfriend’s name onto a team plane. Cleveland Cavaliers guard Delonte West is facing weapons charges after being arrested in September and indicted on two counts of carrying a dangerous weapon, two counts of carrying a handgun, two counts of transporting a handgun, a count of reckless driving and a count of negligent driving.
