Butler's Rendition of Arenas Gun Incident

[CntOutSmrtCrazy]

https://www.washingtonpost.com/news/dc-sports-bog/wp/2015/10/07/i-play-with-guns-caron-butlers-inside-account-of-the-gilbert-arenas-gun-incident/

Don't know if this was posted, but hot damn, that was a much stickier situation than I had imagined.

[montestewart]

I recall prior descriptions of the incident, but I forget who the sources were, or if they were even identified. I don't consider Arenas the most reliable source, and he and Crittenton both have an interest in playing it down, but Butler, even as a more reliable witness, is still only one point of view (who apparently comes out the hero in this version). Could be a Rashomon thing, but subsequent history seems to have confirmed Crittenton's dangerous potential. Maybe some other accounts will stream out in the wake of this revelation, because, damn, let's talk about Gungate some more.

[Kanyewest]

TBH, I don't think I learned anything new from the Caron Butler re-telling other than that the money was less than the 25,000 that David Aldridge said the money owed was . Someone else already leaked the version where Crittenton had a loaded gun while the guns that Arenas brought were unloaded, which is a big reason why Arenas didn't have to go to jail.

[CntOutSmrtCrazy]

http://bleacherreport.com/articles/2576918-caron-butler-details-gilbert-arenas-gun-incident-in-new-book

[fishercob]

I hate that this is a story again. I love Caron, but find his publishing his account of the events to be opportunistic. I understand that I'm in the minority on this and know all the rebuttals. It still doesn't sit right with me. It's a free country and his right, but if he loves the city/fans/franchise as much as he suggests, perhaps he could have allowed us all to not relive this again.

[AWIZZINGBULLET]

I hate that this is a story again. I love Caron, but find his publishing his account of the events to be opportunistic. I understand that I'm in the minority on this and know all the rebuttals. It still doesn't sit right with me. It's a free country and his right, but if he loves the city/fans/franchise as much as he suggests, perhaps he could have allowed us all to not relive this again.

It really wasn't traumatizing at all to me personally...a good read.

[closg00]

I hate that this is a story again. I love Caron, but find his publishing his account of the events to be opportunistic. I understand that I'm in the minority on this and know all the rebuttals. It still doesn't sit right with me. It's a free country and his right, but if he loves the city/fans/franchise as much as he suggests, perhaps he could have allowed us all to not relive this again.

Agree, no one would even being interviewing him about his book otherwise.


~When your FO is unanimous on drafting Jan Vesely, you know you gotta clean-house~

[Kanyewest]

Butler is also making himself out to be a hero too by stating that everyone ran and Butler was tough enough to stay because he was on the street.

It is amazing that everyone has forgotten about the incident stating that Butler's story is new. Props to Butler I guess for recognizing that to make some money.

[Chocolate City Jordanaire]

I hate that this is a story again. I love Caron, but find his publishing his account of the events to be opportunistic. I understand that I'm in the minority on this and know all the rebuttals. It still doesn't sit right with me. It's a free country and his right, but if he loves the city/fans/franchise as much as he suggests, perhaps he could have allowed us all to not relive this again.

No, I agree. (That puts me in the minority as well, fish. ). I'm not even trying to remember the details at this point. Too much good Wizards stuff at the moment to look back...

The only things I wonder about is"Who snitched on Gil"(?) and "Why did he bring back the guns"(?) after the fact. (Whoever asked him to do so essentially asked him to self-incriminate IMO.)

I'm not mad at Caron tryna' make a buck, but I'm not buying his version of things as gospel.

[Ruzious]

I recall prior descriptions of the incident, but I forget who the sources were, or if they were even identified. I don't consider Arenas the most reliable source, and he and Crittenton both have an interest in playing it down, but Butler, even as a more reliable witness, is still only one point of view (who apparently comes out the hero in this version). Could be a Rashomon thing, but subsequent history seems to have confirmed Crittenton's dangerous potential. Maybe some other accounts will stream out in the wake of this revelation, because, damn, let's talk about Gungate some more.

Yeah, I'm glad to actually have a first hand account from a source I have some trust in. And i like Caron, so I certainly won't... can I say it... shoot the messenger. I'm interested in his point of view - and not just on that one incident. Besides, I doubt this makes a whole lot of money for Caron especially compared to how much he made playing the game.

[Kanyewest]

Gilbert response that he posted in response to Caron Butler that he posted and then later deleted (with edits because what Gilbert posted was unreadable via Deadspin). BTW, Gilbert has been posting a lot of videos making fun of the Matt Barnes and Derek Fisher incident.

I respect Caron Butler’s book and got my copy but the guns in the locker room story is FALSE in his book.

Butler and I were asleep and JaVale McGee, Javaris Crittenton, and Earl Boykins were playing cards. By the time I woke up Crittenton was balls deep in losing so I decided to join the game. Crittenton got booed which means he did get one book of spades, so he had to match the pot which was $1,100, but $800 was his so he just lost $800 and the pot is now $1,400 and $1,100 of it is his.

JaVale McGee won the first $1,100 pot so he scooped the money. Boykins asked JaVale, “can I get my $200 now since you have money?” JaVale said “after we land, I don’t wanna jinx myself. Crittenton spazzed—“give that **** his money, you just won my money pay that ****”—so I jumped in and said “damn dog, that’s between them two ****.” He turned to me and said “**** you ****” and I responded “**** you owe me $200, I think you owe Caron Butler $300, but we ain’t saying ****.” Crittenton pops off again: “Oh **** you **** you would try to money-talk somebody.”

So now it’s my deal. Earl said “I’m out.” JaVale said “I don’t need cards.” Crittenton needed five new cards so most likely he was about to match the pot once again so I said “I’m out” knowing JaVale had AKQ, so since it was Crittenton’s money in the post there was no need to fight if he was going to get booed. I showed my hand and Crittenton got mad I had three trump cards and didn’t fight with him. So he screams “MISDEAL, Gil showed his hand!” JaVale said “**** that I win, I have AKQ.”

So Crittenton tries to use misdeal as a way of starting the hand over so I said “y’all figure that out.” I walked to the back of the plane and they stayed arguing, but Earl convinced them that JaVale won. Crittenton yells loudly “****’ MISDEAL” so I yelled back “come get the **** with yo hands if you wanna misdeal.”

When the plane lands he walks back talking tough, saying if we were in the streets “I’d pop you in your knees.” I said “**** I’ll give you the guns to do it on Monday.” It was Saturday, and we had Sunday off. I get to the gym on Monday at 8 a.m. and put four empty guns on his chair and a note that said “pick one.” No one saw me touch a gun or put them there. With Crittenton came in I was in the training room. Crittenton, DeShawn Stevenson, Andray Blatche, and Dominic McGuire were the only ones in the locker room when I walked in.

So Crittenton says “what’s this ****?” I said “you said you were gonna shoot me so **** there go guns so pick one,” meaning pick the one you are going to shoot me with like you said. He said “I don’t need this ****.” That’s when Caron is now in the room, and a trainer. Crittenton takes the guns off his seat and throws them on the floor, hitting the trainers foot. He runs into the training room and Crittenton pulls out a little silver gun that Eddie Murphy shot the pinkie toe off with lol (I’m not going to say if it was loaded or pointed at me, no need to bash a man who can’t defend his name). Let’s just say I started laughing and said “put that Harlem Nights gun away, look at the **** I’m GIVING you, imagine what I have at home so you can keep those.” The **** end.

JaVale picks up my guns and takes them to my car. Caron hides Crittenton’s gun in the locker room. I was in the jacuzzi so Crittenton comes in with me and we started talking and he said I play too much, and I told him he was just a hot head. We started shooting around.

They called Crittenton first to ask what happened. I was last so the story became I pulled a gun and wanted to shoot Crittenton. But I owed him money LMAO. I owe money but I’m gonna shoot you #WhereTheyDoThatAt. If he owed me money, I make $20 million so I wouldn’t pull a GUN for $1,100 SMDH. This happened December 21, and the story was told January 1.

Like I said no one saw me touch, hold, grab, move anything. The funny thing is, I got suspended 50 games, charged with a felony and the only teammate Crittenton decided to call when he needed money for his mom was me because he knows I won’t hold a grudge against a teammate and I gave him $60,000 for his mom’s surgery. I sent money after he just said he was scared for his life, but I said “don’t worry about me, I’ll take the blame what do you need?”

I do regret making fun of him and calling his bluff, the same thing I’ve done with Matt Barnes and Derek Fisher is the same **** I did that day. I wish him the best and Caron Butler’s book to sell out, but what I wrote is the real story.

http://deadspin.com/gilbert-arenas-posts-rebuttal-to-caron-butlers-version-1735566952

[Kanyewest]

BTW Gilbert and Caron didn't get along either before gungate- there was bad blood between them before. I'm pretty sure Butler wasn't the one who leaked the story or called the police. IIRC, it wasn't someone on the active roster who was freaked out by the whole incident.

[Chocolate City Jordanaire]

BTW Gilbert and Caron didn't get along either before gungate- there was bad blood between them before. I'm pretty sure Butler wasn't the one who leaked the story or called the police. IIRC, it wasn't someone on the active roster who was freaked out by the whole incident.

I always suspected Nick Young carried the guns Gilbert left so cavalierly behind. 100% speculation on my part. I have no clue.

The whole thing IMHO WOULD HAVE got squashed if Eddie (Jordan) was coach and not Flip (Saunders). I won't try to explain, I'm very busy. Just EJ was a smooth guy but held that locker room down with a "mighty pimp hand" so to speak. Flip had a whole different emphasis, different culture, different and newer rapport with the players.

[AFM]

Very weird how the story didn't come out for a week. I wonder who snitched then?

[Higga]

This whole story is just...insane. I mean, there was a legitimate chance at the Wizards being involved in the first ever NBA locker room shootout. Crazy.

[TheSecretWeapon]

Butler's version of the incident might be incorrect, but there's a roughly a zero percent chance that Gil's is accurate.

[Kanyewest]

Butler's version of the incident might be incorrect, but there's a roughly a zero percent chance that Gil's is accurate.

I tend to believe Arenas's version more because it frankly doesn't make him look that much better and it is fairly consistent to the version he told a couple of years ago and when it went to trial. Butler's version makes himself out to look like the hero and it looks like a money grab to sell books. Arenas does call on his former teammate DeShawn Stevenson to back him up on his story of events.

Plus Arenas/Haywood did call Butler out for being selfish before gungate. Butler welcomed a return to DC in a rumored Ariza/Butler trade because Arenas was not there. There was some bad blood between the two of them and perhaps Butler wanted to smear Arenas.

[TheSecretWeapon]

Butler's version of the incident might be incorrect, but there's a roughly a zero percent chance that Gil's is accurate.

I tend to believe Arenas's version more because it frankly doesn't make him look that much better and it is fairly consistent to the version he told a couple of years ago and when it went to trial. Butler's version makes himself out to look like the hero and it looks like a money grab to sell books. Arenas does call on his former teammate DeShawn Stevenson to back him up on his story of events.

Plus Arenas/Haywood did call Butler out for being selfish before gungate. Butler welcomed a return to DC in a rumored Ariza/Butler trade because Arenas was not there. There was some bad blood between the two of them and perhaps Butler wanted to smear Arenas.

You could be right. I interviewed Arenas too many times to take his word on much of anything. Not saying he's a habitual liar -- more like he means what he says at the moment he says it, but maybe not the next moment. Either way, he's still my all-time favorite Wizards/Bullets player. And my favorite interview.

[Illmatic12]

Arenas has actually told his version of the story before (the same as what he said on Instagram), but it went largely unnoticed by the national media.


I'm leaning towards believing that Butler is not being 100% truthful, and embellished certain things to sell his book. It also seems like he isn't telling the full story about what actually happened in the locker room and his role.

Gilbert had no motive to get on IG and tell his side of the story, other than him wanting to clear the air. Caron had a clear motive in trying to sell his book and re-tel things to put himself in a favorable light.

[Chocolate City Jordanaire]

Jamison probably knows more but is too classy to say. I'd trust his version over Caron's.