28 Jan 2010

Guns spell suspension for two NBA stars

2:01 pm on 28 January 2010

Basketballers Gilbert Arenas and Washington Wizards team mate Javaris Crittenton were suspended without pay for the rest of the NBA season for bringing guns into the team's locker room.

NBA commissioner David Stern, who met with both players this week to discuss last month's incident, said there was no justification for their actions and that guns in the workplace would not be tolerated by the league.

Following a dispute during a flight home from a game in December, the two players later brought weapons into the locker room at the team's arena.

NBA rules prohibit players from bringing firearms to league and team facilities.

Stern says both Arenas and Crittenton expressed remorse for their actions and an understanding of the seriousness of their transgressions during face-to-face meetings with both players that lasted about an hour each.

Arenas, 28, had already been suspended indefinitely by the NBA pending an investigation and the Wizards have since removed all likenesses of him from their arena.

Crittenton, 22, pleaded guilty this week to misdemeanor gun possession charges and was sentenced to a year of unsupervised probation and required to perform community service.

Arenas still faces a tentative sentencing date of March the 26th after pleading guilty in January to felony weapons possession for bringing four guns to the locker room.

He could face up to six months in prison under his plea deal.

The Wizards, who have a 14-30 record with 38 games left in the season, say they fully support the NBA's decision.