As you can see by Gilbert's finger play, he was having a little fun with his recent gun troubles. NBA Commissioner David Stern wasn't terribly amused by either and has decided to suspend the Washington Wizards guard indefinitely without pay. From ESPN
Stern says in a statement Wednesday that Arenas' actions will "ultimately result in a substantial suspension, and perhaps worse."
Because Arenas violated NBA rules by bringing guns into Washington's locker room, Stern decided to punish Arenas now. He said the suspension begins immediately.
Stern says he originally planned to wait for the criminal investigation to be completed before taking action, and directed the Wizards to do the same.
Every game Arenas ends up missing during the suspension will cost him $147,208.
The suspension comes after multiple media reports over the weekend said that a dispute over a gambling debt led to a conflict between Arenas and teammate Javaris Crittenton.
Multiple sources told ESPN.com that an argument commenced during a card game on the team's overnight flight back to Washington from Phoenix on Dec. 19 and escalated into a heated exchange between Arenas and Crittenton. The Wizards had Dec. 20 off, but sources say hostilities between the two resumed Dec. 21 in the locker room on a practice day.
In today's Washington Post, Mike Wise scolds Gilbert Arenas for being a knucklehead vis a vis an open birthday card in which he tells Arenas just how much he's screwed up. Wise seems more disappointed than embittered, not unlike Obi-Wan when he whoops Anakin in Revenge of the Sith. This is more than can be said for Michael Ozanian, who wrote of the league as a traveling band of thugs (very original) whose behavior will keep NBA commish David Stern from realizing his dream of legalized gambling throughout the league.