Hornets forward Jeff Taylor was arrested at 1 a.m. Thursday morning and has been charged with one count of domestic assault, one count of assault and one count of malicious destruction of property.
There’s innocent until proven guilty and all that, but in light of the recent NFL scandal involving Ray Rice, the team is getting way out in front of this one, and is taking a proactive stance in disciplining Taylor until the NBA’s investigation of the incident is finished.
From Rick Bonnell of the Charlotte Observer:“We have informed Jeffery Taylor that effective immediately he will not be participating in any team-related activities while the NBA is investigating his conduct in this matter,” the Hornets announced late Friday afternoon.
“As an organization, we understand and appreciate the seriousness of this matter, and will assist the NBA and law enforcement in any way we can until this comes to an acceptable resolution. We have spoken with Jeffery and his representatives and they fully understand our position.”
Shortly after the Hornets’ announcement, the NBA issued the following statement: “We support the Charlotte Hornets’ decision to separate Jeffery Taylor from the team during the investigation.”This may not seem fair to Taylor, since he hasn’t been convicted of anything, and ultimately may not be. But the league has an image to protect, and in light of the national discussion surrounding professional athletes and this issue, this is ultimately the best course of action.