The past 12 months have been a constant and complex balancing act for West and the Cavaliers , who dearly love their hard-nosed guard's personality and ability. What to do about this latest situation might prove the most dicey.

Though they would never talk about these issues publicly and discuss it little privately, it has been a challenge for the team on how to handle West.

Last August, West was charged with marijuana possession in Prince George's County, Md., while he was a restricted free agent, and the Cavs were in a contract stalemate with him. The team had a difficult decision because it places a high value on character within the locker room. Usually this would be a red flag on any free agent.

So they had several long talks with him and checked on the facts. Ultimately, they decided to trust him and gave him a three-year contract worth $12.6 million. It turned out to be fair. Following an investigation, the district attorney dropped the charges against West a few weeks after he signed the contract.

During a training camp practice last season, West exploded at a referee, and then at teammates and coaches who tried to break it up. It was a stunning mood switch for a player who is often easygoing, never seems to budge under pressure on the floor and usually is cracking jokes.

Shortly after that, West left the team to get treatment for a mood disorder that he said he's battled his whole life. His teammates were supportive. The team wanted to do whatever it could to help him from time off to treatment to simple positive reinforcement.

When he returned, West opened himself up to the fans by talking about his struggle with bipolar disorder. It not only endeared him even more to the fan base that was attracted to his style of play and personality, but also to people who have battled mood disorders and depression. Mail poured into the Cavs from people inspired by West.

West then had the best season of his career, his first as a full-time starter. He was a significant factor in the Cavs winning 66 games. But behind the scenes, there was never a doubt that he was often battling with his emotional problems.

Some games, West would sit in his uniform at his locker for an hour after the game staring into space. Sometimes he would refuse to talk to anyone. Other times he would be his jovial self, cracking up the locker room and fitting into the team's pregame "family photos." He filmed several segments for the ESPN show "Jim Rome is Burning," showcasing his dry sense of humor that made him a YouTube hit.

But he also often came to games late, even showing up to a home playoff game an hour before tipoff.

Those episodes, however, never seemed to affect his play. Trying to be supportive, the team apparently gave him plenty of space. The media, appreciative of how open he'd been and aware of his battle, was sensitive on this issue.

It was the same this summer when another YouTube video of West appeared of him and a friend waiting for their food to be cooked in a KFC drive-through. Making jokes and freestyle rapping, West was funny. But numerous people commented on the video they believed it wasn't funny because it appeared he was under the influence of something.

Whatever the circumstances, the image couldn't have made the team happy even as they continued to try to be supportive of West's issues.

Which leads to this current situation. It likely will come out in time just what West's state of mind was as he traveled down the highway with the guns. His father told the Washington Post, "All I can say is Delonte was looking behind his back and protecting himself" and hinted he was concerned for his safety.

No matter what, it isn't going to be as simple as West did something wrong and then he'll be punished. There are gray areas and decisions the Cavs might have to make about how to deal with West in the future.

Dribbles

* Cavs center Shaquille O'Neal is a lot of things but he's not stupid. O'Neal came out in support of the NBA officials, who began a lockout Friday when the officials and the league could not come to an agreement on a new contract. O'Neal said he didn't want to play with replacement officials as the NBA is planning.

"The refs have been vital to this league for a long time. They should be treated accordingly," O'Neal told the Web site FanHouse on Friday. "We need perfection out there. We don't need second best. The league needs to get this done."

The officials certainly appreciate support from O'Neal - one of the league's veteran statesman - and Shaq probably knows having the officials on your side is a good idea.

He has some legitimate merit in his point of view. In the most recent lockout with the officials, in 1995, the preseason and early regular season produced lots of unruly behavior during the games and a bevy of fines and suspensions. The players treated the replacement officials like substitute teachers and misbehaved.

The league and officials are not arguing over salaries but rather benefits and travel costs, which the NBA is looking to reduce by 10 percent. The two sides reportedly are less than $1 million apart, but neither wants to budge. With contract talks coming up with the players, the league has extra reason to take a hard line.