It was a bad week for Cleveland Cavaliers’ guard Delonte West, the Prince George’s County native who was arrested late Thursday night on weapons charges after being pulled over on the Beltway.
In a scene straight out of “Desperado,” West was found with a Beretta 9mm in his waistband, a Ruger .357 magnum in a leg holster and (we’re not kidding) a shotgun in a guitar case slung across his back. All that while driving a three-wheeled motorcycle north on the Beltway before cutting off a police cruiser while speeding. That’s just a terrible idea on every level.
Of course, West on even his best days could be described as quirky. Check out the dozen or so YouTube clips that show off his unique personality. But remember, he also left training camp last fall with Cleveland to get treatment for bipolar disorder, a condition that he later admitted has plagued him since childhood. If the weapons were unlicensed, West could face a $2,500 fine and up to three years in prison, according to Maryland law.
The Cavaliers allowed their starting shooting guard — the team’s fourth-leading scorer last season — time to deal with his issues last training camp. But this might be one distraction too many with camp looming again next Monday.
