Maybe Arenas-Crittenton wasn’t that bad

‘Gunsmoke,’ NBA-style

Is that all there was?

The Gilbert Arenas- Javaris Crittenton incident, which looked like the Gunfight at the NBA Corral, now looks more like the comic duel in “Love and Death” between the Woody Allen character and Count Anton Inbedkov, rivals for the notorious Countess Alexandrovna.

As scary as it is for children to play with guns, they don’t seem to have drawn down on each other, as reported by a single outlet, the New York Post, and recycled endlessly.

In a comprehensive account based on two eyewitness accounts last week, the Washington Post’s Mike Wise wrote that Arenas put three unloaded pistols in Crittenton’s cubicle with a note that said, “Pick one.”

Laughing when he saw it, Crittenton got his own gun, loaded it and chambered a round, but didn’t point it at Arenas.

According to Wise’s account, both players treated it as a joke throughout.

Nevertheless, in the Age of Hysteria, the image of players pointing guns at each other is the one that endures.

Personally, I’ll remember Arenas pretending to shoot his laughing teammates in a pregame skit and the mushroom cloud that went up over the league office.

With the Gunsmoke Scenario in the papers, you could see where Arenas, whose sense of humor is out of control, anyway, could think it was funny.

With all the furor, you could see why David Stern gave Arenas an early start on his vacation, which could last all season at a cost of $9.9 million, enough to have chartered an ocean liner while he was away.

It’s actually timely for the Wizards, who needed to break up this team in 2008 instead of giving Arenas $111 million coming off back-to-back knee surgeries.

Embarrassing as it was for the NBA, after real calamities (Auburn Hills, Tim Donaghy), this is more like a farce.

In the age of harems, TMZ, steroids and bent referees, it could have been worse.

Get your red-hot Wizards

If they’re about to break up that gang of theirs, here’s how it looks:

Arenas -- They’d love to dump him, but with four years worth $80 million left on his contract, he’s their least tradable player. Despite yammering from the media, I don’t think they’ll try to void his contract.

Antawn Jamison -- At 33, he can still average 20. The Cavaliers yearn for him, hoping the Wizards take Zydrunas Ilgauskas’ expiring contract to slash payroll.

Showing the Wizards’ respect for Jamison, they fined five young players after Arenas’ skit but missed Antawn in the middle of it.

Caron Butler -- Not all he was but still good. The former Laker has one year left on his contract after this at $10.6 million, which is pricey but not crazy.

Mike Miller -- On expiring contract, could help anyone (like the Lakers).

Randy Foye -- Same deal as Miller, which was why Minnesota traded them.

Brendan Haywood -- He’s not bad, if you can’t get a good center. On expiring $6-million contract, probably headed elsewhere.

Andray Blatche -- Bigger, more talented Tim Thomas who has it all but doesn’t see himself as an inside player. The Wizards may still see him as their future.

Nick Young -- He’s still really talented. They still hope he’ll grow up.

JaVale McGee -- Talented 7-footer, not yet 22 years old, who has played little. Several teams asked for him before, but the Wizards know he has promise.