Startling picture starting to become more clear

As more newshound reporters dig in following the Yahoo! Sports and New York Post pistol-packing-point-guard stories which broke yesterday morning, the circumstances surrounding Gilbert Arenas and Javaris Crittenton and their spat are starting to become more clear.


ESPN's Marc Stein reported this morning that Arenas laid three guns on a chair next to Javaris Crittenton's locker and told him to pick one, and that this was the continuation from their dispute surrounding a card game they engaged in during the Dec. 20th flight back from Phoenix. The Washington Post's Michael Lee wrote today that sources that spoke to Arenas about the incident said it was "horse play." And NBA.com's David Aldridge broke down the serious consequences Arenas could face over this matter.


I've spoken with a few sources close to the situation -- including one individual that was in the locker room at the time and Arenas, as he tweeted yesterday had no malicious intent. And like Lee said, horse play was involved. That doesn't make this any less serious, however. If your franchise player is horsing around with guns on team property, no matter how good a mood he is in, it's still in violation of league policy and D.C. gun possession laws.


From what I've gathered, Arenas, Crittenton and some teammates were indeed playing a card game on the flight back from Phoenix, and both Crittenton and Arenas were coming up on the losing end, but Arenas didn't owe $25,000, and the amount wasn't owed to Crittenton, but to JaVale McGee. Arenas bailed on the game unhappy with the rules, and Crittenton was left to pay the pot, much to his displeasure, so he was trying earnestly to get Arenas to pay his part. Tempers flared during this dispute and I'm told Crittenton wanted to fight Arenas for backing out of paying up. Arenas, meanwhile, said he would burn Crittenton's car, and Crittenton said he would shoot Arenas in his bad left knee.


That brings us to practice on Dec. 21 when Arenas placed four guns -- the ones he had brought into the locker room to store in his locked box, according to him to keep from his children-- on the chair of Crittenton with a note 'pick one' on top. Crittenton came into the locker room where Arenas was waiting and ready for a good laugh, but Crittenton wasn't as amused as Arenas continued joking around. A source says teammates told Crittenton not to take the taunts from Arenas so seriously, but the younger guard didn't appreciate being made fun of and chucked one of Arenas' guns across the locker room and said "I have a gun of my own." The situation was soon diffused I'm told Ernie Grunfeld learned of the spat and first heard Arenas pulled a gun in the locker room and then reported him to the league office. At that time, I'm told Grunfeld began considering either voiding Arenas' contract or trading him. Upon further investigation, Grunfeld learned more of the facts and has cooled slightly and is in a wait and see mode. The NBA is watching and waiting as well, allowing the D.C. police and U.S. Attorney's office to proceed with their investigation before David Stern hands out any suspension and fines.


A source who has spoken to Arenas, who yesterday continually downplayed the seriousness of the incident, said if the authorities buy his story of joking around and unloaded guns, and him being unaware of the D.C. gun laws, they could simply hand out a fine and community service. But, if they don't and he receives a felony charge, the maximum punishment is a five-year prison term and/or a $5,000 fine.


If that happened, the Wizards would execute the "morality clause" in Arenas' contract -- every player's contract has this -- and they would get the remaining three years, $67.7 million owed to him off their books.


Even if this hadn't happened, the Wizards were considering making a move, and I'm told they would like to do so within the next 14 days. One of the scenarios mentioned has been Arenas and Mike James to Houston, but I'm told by a source "that deal is unrealistic." A source close to Arenas said he has no desire to leave the Wizards, but his bosses could be growing tired of his antics, and teammates, I'm hearing, are beyond over having to explain for him and would like more maturity in the locker room. It could be a challenge to find a team willing to take on not only that contract, but also Arenas' strong personality and off-court baggage he has right now.


The Wizards might not have a hard time dealing Caron Butler in a package deal with James, however, but not to Houston. I'm hearing Butler and James could be headed to either Miami or Chicago. Some of the pieces Washington could be trying to get back from Chicago, the source said, could be Kirk Hinrich and Jerome James. Before, the Wizards hadn't wanted to take on more money, but it appears that as they grow more desperate to turn things around, their main motivation is bringing in new life to kick-start a rebound.


Despite all the distractions, I'm told Arenas will play tonight. Flip Saunders had said yesterday that the guard might not play because of soreness in his left knee, but the knee isn't that bad today. It will be interesting to see how well the Wizards do against the Spurs with all this going on, and I'm sure it will be a circus at Verizon Center tonight.


So, what say ye? Should the Wizards trade Arenas? Should they void his contract and start fresh next season? Or, should they stick it out with him and instead trade Butler?

-- Mike Jones