| Suspended indefinitely, again. (Getty Images) |
The Mavericks suspended Delonte West last week after an outburst following a preseaon game. That suspension was listed as indefinite and wound up lasting one whole day. Now the Mavericks have announced that they've suspended West again for conduct detrimental to the team, and again, it's indefinite. From a Mavericks press release:
DALLAS — The Dallas Mavericks announced today that they have indefinitely suspended guard Delonte West.
"We have suspended Delonte for conduct detrimental to the team," President of Basketball Operations Donnie Nelson said. "The suspension is effective immediately and no other statements will be issued."
No other statements need to be issued for the fervor around West to ramp up again. West continuously finds himself in difficult situations that he often creates for himself. Following his arrest on gun charges in 2009, and his admission of suffering with bipolar disorder, West has had a difficult time finding a team he could stick with. He couldn't get approved for an apartment in Dallas last year and was sleeping in the Mavs' locker room before Mark Cuban helped him out.
There's no evidence to suggest whatever sparked the suspension involves or doesn't involve his mental health condition. It's just not something we can know.
The Mavericks have been extremely patient with West, but you have to wonder if they can afford these kinds of distractions on a team trying to find itself, especially without Dirk Nowitzki, who is out six weeks after arthroscopic knee surgery. Maybe this supension will only last a day, but coach Rick Carlisle and the Mavericks only have so much patience.
West took to Twitter to discuss the suspension and wasn't shy about defending himself.