Former Celtic Delonte West was arrested on Thursday night on weapons possession charges, according to The Cleveland Plain-Dealer.
West, who was traded prior to the 2007-08 season in a deal that brought Ray Allen to Boston, allegedly cut off a police officer around 10 p.m. as he was riding a three-wheeled motorcycle near his home in Maryland. He was pulled over and was caught with two concealed handguns and a shotgun. He has been charged with two counts of gun possession and several traffic citations.
The guard, currently with the Cavaliers, told the police he was carrying a shotgun in his waistband when he was pulled over. Authorities are currently investigating West's reasons for carrying the weapons.
"We don't have any answers as to where he was going at this point," Clinton Copeland, Corporal of the Prince George's County police, told the Plain-Dealer. "I'm sure Mr. West will have to answer that at some point."
In the stare of Maryland, possession of an unlicensed handgun carries a fine of $2,500 and/or three years in prison.
"We are aware of the situation and take this matter very seriously," Cavaliers GM Danny Ferry told the newspaper. "We have been in communication with Delonte and his family. We are gathering more information and will not have further comment until the appropriate time."
The gun charges aren't the beginning of West's recent troubles; earlier this year, the guard admitted to suffering from bipolar disorder and has been the victim of frequent mood swings and depression. He left the Cavaliers for several weeks in 2008-09 to receive treatment.
Last season, in 64 games for Cleveland, West averaged 11.7 points and 3.5 assists.
