The AP reports:

Washington Wizards guard Javaris Crittenton pleaded guilty to a misdemeanour gun charge Monday, explaining he had a pistol because he feared teammate Gilbert Arenas would shoot him or blow up his car after the two argued over a card game.

Monday’s hearing was the first time authorities confirmed Crittenton was the other player involved in the confrontation with Arenas, who pleaded guilty Jan. 15 to a felony gun charge.

D.C. Superior Court Senior Judge Bruce Beaudin sentenced Crittenton, 22, to a year of unsupervised probation after Crittenton pleaded guilty to misdemeanour possession of an unregistered firearm. Beaudin ordered Crittenton to mentor young people in Washington and to help with relief efforts for Haiti.

Beaudin didn’t order a specific amount of community service but said his lawyer must report regularly on the work. Crittenton must also pay a $1,000 fine and $250 (all figures U.S.) into a victims’ fund.

Barry Jackson of the Miami Herald reports:

Though Rafer Alston figures to remain the Heat’s starting point guard this season barring an injury or something unforeseen, Mario Chalmers continues to express his desire to regain that spot.

“Time to get back on my [game]. Tired of sittin’ on the bench,” Chalmers said Sunday on Twitter. “Gotta get back to the way I was.”

Before Monday’s game, Chalmers did not back away from those comments. “I’m ready to get back that spot,” he said. “The team needs me back there. I want my spot back. I think there’s a great chance I can get it back.”

Though Chalmers said he accepts whatever role he is given, starting is “more meaningful,” he said, “because I started every game last season. It’s my fault that I lost it” — initially, to Carlos Arroyo before Alston was signed.

The Los Angeles Clippers today acquired guard Bobby Brown from the New Orleans Hornets in exchange for a 2014 conditional second round draft pick and cash considerations. In a related move, the Clippers released guard JamesOn Curry from his 10-day contract.

“With today’s move, we put ourselves in a position that is under the luxury tax threshold while preserving the ability to maximize our results on the court and keeping our core intact,” said Hornets head coach Jeff Bower.

Brown, 25, has appeared in 25 games for the Hornets this season and is averaging 6.6 points and 2.1 assists in 14.9 minutes per game. A Los Angeles native who starred at Westchester High School and Cal-State Fullerton, Brown played for the Sacramento Kings and Minnesota Timberwolves in 2008-09 and has appeared in a total of 90 NBA games, making two starts with career averages of 5.6 points, 1.8 assists and 0.8 rebounds in 14.0 minutes.

Not drafted after finishing his college career as Cal-State Fullerton’s all-time leading scorer, Brown appeared for Alba Berlin of Germany in 2007-08 before signing as a free agent with Sacramento. One of the greatest players in Cal-State Fullerton history, Brown was named to the Big West All-Conference Team two times in his career.

Curry was signed by the Clippers to a 10-day contract on Jan. 22, 2010 and appeared in one game for Los Angeles.