Raymond Felton of the New York Knicks has been on a downward spiral on the court. With a serious criminal charge files against him, that may be the least of his problems.

Felton was recently arrested for waving a loaded gun and allegedly threatening his estranged wife. Sports Illustrated puts the entire story in perspective:

What exactly did Felton do wrong?

SI.com: "Raymond Felton has been charged with three offenses under New York law for unlawful possession of a firearm. The most serious is second-degree criminal possession, a felony charge that carries a minimum sentence of three and a half years behind bars. Felton's charges stem from his estranged wife, Ariane Raymondo-Felton, reportedly handing over a Belgian pistol (FNH 5.7×28 mm) to New York police and claiming it belonged to Felton. Raymondo-Felton's decision to turn over the gun appears connected to a heated argument Felton may have had with his girlfriend, whose name has not been released by law enforcement."

What about his future as a New York Knick?

SI.com: "An immediate challenge for Felton is whether he can travel with the Knicks and leave the state of New York while facing the charges. As part of the bail process, Felton will have to convince a judge that he is not a flight risk or a danger to the public, and that he needs to travel with the Knicks in order to fulfill his employment contract.

Of even greater concern to Felton is whether he will face an NBA suspension. ... New commissioner Adam Silver will face his first major disciplinary decision with Felton. Like Stern, Silver is an attorney and he will likely scrutinize the charges and available evidence before making a decision. Silver will also rely on the counsel of Rick Buchanan, the league's general counsel and executive vice president. Silver and Buchanan undoubtedly know that the league's image is tarnished with fans, media and lawmakers when players are connected to guns. On the other hand, they do not want to punish a player who may ultimately be cleared of any wrongdoing. This is a crucial point for Felton as he considers his legal options: if he pleads guilty to any crime, the NBA would be clearly justified in suspending him."

Will he go to jail?

SI.com:"Unfortunately for Felton, New York is probably the worst state to be charged with illegal possession of guns. Prosecutors do not need to establish how Felton obtained the gun or why he possessed the gun, only that he possessed the gun. Felton has thus been charged with a strict liability offense: if he possessed the gun, he's guilty and a judge would sentence him to at least three and a half years behind bars. Felton could seek a plea deal in hopes of a lesser sentence. Former NFL star Plaxico Burress, who faced similar charges in New York, ultimately pleaded guilty to lesser charges, but it was far from a legal win for Burress. Burress spent nearly two years behind bars."

It should be noted that the New York Knicks are actively trying to get rid of Raymond Felton. They were not lucky enough, and now they have to deal with this situation. Suffice to say, the Knicks will jump at the chance to be disassociated from Felton. This is the last thing they need.

The NBA has never been that strict with off-court issues. It should be noted that Gilbert Arenas is still being paid up to now through the amnesty program even though he was involved in a gun-related incident in the locker room with the Washington Wizards. The Knicks may never get an escape clause from the guaranteed money they owe Felton, even if he ends up not playing for them again.