Why Gilbert Arenas Will Never Play in the NBA Again

Bringing a gun to work is serious business. This is especially true when you work in a city that has a handgun ban—and even more true when your workplace is a sports arena.

Washington Wizards guard Gilbert Arenas apparently doesn't think bringing a gun to work is serious business. He described his actions—in which he placed three unloaded guns on the chair of teammate Javaris Crittenton in reaction to a gambling dispute—as a joke. Whether he was telling the truth or not, it didn't go over so well.

Initially, the NBA and the Wizards were going to wait until the criminal investigation was concluded before issuing any suspensions, but Arenas' cavalier attitude toward the incident sped up the decision.

Apparently, everything started on a post-game flight two days prior, when Arenas and Crittenton got into an argument over a gambling debt. Arenas said he brought the guns to practice as a joke, but Crittenton responded angrily.

The NBA bans guns in team workplaces such as arenas or practice facilities, and the District of Columbia also has strong gun laws. Arenas thought that by unloading the guns he was complying with the law, but he was wrong.

Arenas has been known for selfish on-court behavior and amusing off-court antics. But on Christmas Eve he violated the sanctity of the locker room, disgraced the league, and showed a sense of humor that is twisted at best.

There is no excuse or reason for an NBA player to bring a gun, even an unloaded one, into a locker room. Even if he didn't pull a gun on Crittenton—and he claims he didn't—Arenas deserves to be shown the door by the league.

What he did could've led to all sorts of bad outcomes, and he should consider himself lucky to be simply suspended at this point.

If he still thinks this is a joke, he won't once he's permanently unemployed by the league.