Gilbert Arenas has played his final game as a Washington Wizard. And maybe as an NBA player.
The NBA suspended the Washington guard indefinitely while awaiting a criminal investigation over bringing four guns into Verizon Center that escalated an argument with teammate Javaris Crittenton. Depending on who’s telling the story, it’s either a prank or the O.K. Corral.
The sanction is only a start, and a late one at that. Obviously, we haven’t heard the whole truth yet over what happen on Dec. 21. It keeps raising a notch to the latest report that Crittenton chambered a round in his own gun. Uh, that’s a breath away from a murder charge, which is the whole point of this debacle’s severity.
My father taught me one thing about guns — if you ever point one, be prepared for someone to die. Maybe you. That’s why they’re not a toy. That’s why the NBA needs to sanction Arenas severely. Maybe Crittenton, too.
Arenas is not a bad person. But he has sanctioned gunplay to the many children who idolize him. Arenas has alternated joking over the incident and apologizing when handlers force him to, but anyone reading his rambling Twitter messages knows Arenas thinks this is no big deal. He even called NBA commissioner David Stern “mean” for suspending him.
Seriously, I’ve never seen an athlete so cluelessly self-destruct. If Arenas is fortunate to avoid prison, which seems increasingly unlikely, he should be out of the league for at least one year. And that’s the minimum. See you in 2012 would be better.
The Wizards should void Arenas’ remaining $80 million deal and tell the players association to see them in court. The late Abe Pollin would have done it. The team already has ripped down his poster on 6th street. They’re distancing themselves from Arenas faster than Usain Bolt.
Washingtonians can’t forgive the one-time top athlete in town for not only destroying this franchise, but destroying their trust. It’s one thing to pull a very bad prank — that can be forgiven in time. But all the lying and mockery afterward burns every ounce of good will between Arenas and fans.
As for Crittenton, judgment should be reserved until the police report. But, if he truly chambered a round, irrespective of whether the gun was pointed at Arenas, then that should be a lifetime NBA ban. If Crittenton was anything more than the victim of the prank, he should get one year.
The Wiz front office shouldn’t be off the hook, either. Why was Arenas still playing two weeks later? Management is hampered by no owner and reportedly was told by the NBA not to suspend Arenas, but the team could have simply benched him while awaiting police reports. To let Arenas continue to play was irresponsible.
It’s bad enough the Wizards are once again disappointing Washingtonians on the court. Now they’re failing the city, too.
Rick Snider has covered local sports since 1978. Read more at TheRickSniderReport.com and Twitter @Snide_Remarks or e-mail [email protected].
