Robert Sarver to Sell Phoenix Suns and Mercury Teams Amid Scandal
Sarver, according to the report, made crude jokes, used “the N-word” on at least five occasions, shared inappropriate text messages and photos, and belittled employees. During the investigation, Sarver sought to defend himself by citing his contributions to social and racial justice causes.
A suspension and a fine. The N.B.A. suspended Robert Sarver, the majority owner of the Phoenix Suns, for one year and fined him $10 million after an investigation determined that he had engaged in misconduct towards his employees. Here is what to know:
How it began. Sarver, 60, led the ownership group that purchased the Phoenix Suns and Phoenix Mercury in 2004 for $401 million. He has developed a reputation as an involved owner unafraid to draw attention to himself with showy stunts, such as dunking off a trampoline during halftime.
Sarver’s response. After word of ESPN’s investigation into Sarver went public, the Suns pre-emptively released statements denying that Sarver had a history of racism or sexism. Sarver, in statements to ESPN, denied most of the accusations in the article.
N.B.A. investigation. Following the publication of the article, the league began looking into the accusations of mistreatment against Sarver, retaining the law firm Wachtell, Lipton, Rosen Katz to conduct an independent investigation.
N.B.A. Commissioner Adam Silver could have suspended Sarver for longer than one year, but $10 million was the most he could fine him. Last week, at a news conference after a meeting of the league’s board of governors in Manhattan, Silver defended the length of the suspension, saying he felt it was fair.
“It’s beyond the pale in every possible way to use language and behave that way,” Silver said of Sarver’s behavior. But he added: “Remember, while there were these terrible things, there were also many, many people who had very positive things to say about him through this process.”
LeBron James, the Los Angeles Lakers star, said last week in a post on Twitter that the league “definitely got this wrong,” referring to the fine and suspension as punishment for Sarver.
“I love this league and I deeply respect our leadership. But this isn’t right,” James said. “There is no place for misogyny, sexism, and racism in any work place. Don’t matter if you own the team or play for the team. We hold our league up as an example of our values and this aint it.”
On Wednesday, after Sarver announced his plans to sell, James said on Twitter that he was “proud to be a part of a league committed to progress!”
Article source: https://www.nytimes.com/2022/09/21/sports/basketball/robert-sarver-phoenix-suns-mercury.html