Knicks starting point guard Raymond Felton was arrested Tuesday morning on weapons charges after turning himself in for having an illegal gun that his wife handed over to police through her lawyer, according to the NYPD.
Felton turned himself in at 12:50 a.m. Tuesday, not long after the Knicks lost to the Dallas Mavericks in a buzzer-beater at home, police said.
But before the Monday night game, an attorney for Ariane Raymondo-Felton arrived at a Manhattan police precinct with a loaded Belgian-made FN Herstal pistol, police spokesman Sgt. Lee Jones said. Raymondo-Felton later went to the precinct that night and made a statement to detectives, police said.
Investigators then contacted the director of security at Madison Square Garden in an attempt to reach Felton, police said.
Felton was arraigned Tuesday on two charges of criminal possession of a weapon and released on $25,000 bail. He made no statement as he left Manhattan Criminal Court. Police said the charges don't stem from Felton using the firearm in a menacing manner but from possessing an unregistered gun.
A Knicks spokesman said the team had no immediate comment. A lawyer for the former University of North Carolina star would not comment as he and his client left court, and an attorney for Raymondo-Felton didn't respond to messages.
Raymondo-Felton is a student at the Fordham University School of Law, a spokeswoman confirmed. Court records show she filed for divorce from Felton last week.
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The Knicks had no game scheduled Tuesday. Felton had eight points and seven assists Monday in the Knicks' 110-108 loss to Dallas. The Knicks brought the point guard back for a second stint in New York in July 2012, opting to let Jeremy Lin leave, and Felton helped the Knicks win the Atlantic Division last year.
But he has had a disappointing season, averaging 10.4 points and shooting 40 percent while missing 16 games with a series of injuries. He has been frequently criticized by fans as the Knicks have fallen to 21-36.
NBA spokesman Tim Frank said the league was monitoring the case. It could fine or suspend Felton but typically waits until legal cases have been resolved.
The league did break from that policy to suspend Gilbert Arenas for the remainder of the season after he brought guns to the Washington Wizards' locker room during the 2009-10 season. He was eventually sentenced to 30 days in a halfway house.
Felton is not the first pro athlete to run afoul of New York's gun laws. Plaxico Burress was a New York Giants wide receiver when he was arrested in 2008 after accidentally shooting himself in a Manhattan nightclub. He served two years in prison.
At a New York City event Tuesday, Burress called Felton's arrest "an unfortunate event."
"I feel that this great city is going to support him," he said of Felton. "I'm a supporter of his and I think everyone will come together to help him through this time."
Fighter Robert Guerrero was arrested at Kennedy Airport last year after he presented a locked gun box containing an unloaded handgun during check-in. He pleaded guilty to disorderly conduct and was ordered to pay a $250 fine and complete 50 hours of community service.
Felton is set to earn $3.8 million next season and has a player option that would pay him $4 million in 2015-16. The Knicks could attempt to void the contract, but that would likely be challenged by the players' association.
