What punishments should Arenas face on, off court?
Assuming no different information about the Wizards star's
gun case comes to light, what should the penalties be?
Extend his suspension
Barry Stavro, Los Angeles Times
The legal part of this case is simple: Arenas pleaded guilty Friday to a felony for carrying an unlicensed pistol and could face up to six months in jail.
What about the NBA? Commissioner David Stern has already suspended Arenas indefinitely, and without pay, and I'd expect him to officially extend that suspension for the rest of this season. If so, "Agent Zero" misses 50 games and loses about $9.9 million of his $16.2 million salary this season.
The Wizards also probably want to invalidate what remains of the six-year, $111 million contract Arenas signed in 2008. It's also obvious the NBA Players Association would fight any such move. So my guess is that Stern will merely suspend Arenas for the rest of this season and give him a chance to report to training camp in the fall.
Season, contract over
K.C. Johnson, Chicago Tribune
Gilbert Arenas needs to be suspended for the rest of the season and have his six-year, $111 million contract voided. That's not mean-spirited. That's matter-of-fact.
If an employee brings a gun into a workplace, he or she is fired. Simple as that. Arenas' case should be no different.
The example NBA Commissioner David Stern might set by showing no tolerance is only an added benefit of that punishment. But it's really quite simple: Guns don't belong in any workplace.
As for the legal process, six months of jail time seems reasonable enough after Arenas agreed to plead guilty to the felony gun charge. During that time, the All-Star guard can realize what a privilege it is to be paid to play a game.
Return after his sentence
Ethan Skolnick, Sun Sentinel
Off the court? That's not for a sportswriter to decide. Now that Arenas has pleaded guilty, that is at the mercy of the judge, guided by the parameters set by the legislature.
On the court? Now the indefinite suspension seems appropriate.
And now, David Stern looks even worse for imposing it before the case took this definitive legal turn.
Stern should have waited for that, rather than acting impulsively to Arena's witty Tweets and finger pistols, all of which hurt the commissioner's feelings more than they hurt the league.
And once Arenas is back from his legal sentence, whatever it is, Stern should simply issue a strong warning to Arenas to behave within the law from here forward ... while allowing the guard to resume his career.
Stern must send message
Josh Robbins, Orlando Sentinel
Gilbert Arenas is a self-described "goofball," but that's no excuse for bringing four unloaded guns to the Wizards' locker room.
The collective bargaining agreement between the NBA and the players' union is crystal clear on this issue: Players can't bring guns to facilities used or operated by the league or on any league-related business.
Players typically are reminded about the rule every year.
On Jan. 5, Arenas showed he didn't take the situation seriously; encircled by teammates before a game, he extended his index fingers as if he were shooting them.
So, let the prosecutors abide by the plea deal they struck - send Arenas to jail for no more than six months. But the NBA needs to send a message. David Stern should suspend Arenas for one year from the date of the original incident. That should deter anyone else from doing what Arenas did.