Recently sanctioned with a one-year suspension and a ten million dollar fine for highly inappropriate behavior towards his employees, Phoenix Suns owner Robert Sarver avoided a punishment à la Donald Sterling, the former owner of the Clippers. who had been forced to sell his franchise for racist remarks in 2014. Nevertheless, under pressure in particular from the players’ association, Sarver finally decided to put the Arizona franchise and the Phoenix Mercury (WNBA) up for sale.
This is news that gets Adam Silver and the NBA out of a pretty mess. When the League announced the sanction imposed on Robert Sarver a few days ago, it was the target of numerous criticisms from Suns employees, certain media covering the NBA and especially players, through their union but also statements from superstars LeBron James and Chris Paul. How can an owner who engages in sexist, misogynistic and racist behavior within his own franchise retain his rights to it? This is the main question we could ask ourselves, a question Commissioner Silver himself failed to answer during his press conference on the subject. The players’ union, via its director Tamika Tremaglio, did not hesitate to ask that Robert Sarver be banned for life by the NBA for his behavior. One of the Suns’ minority owners – Jahm Najafi – has called on Sarver to step down, while one of the franchise’s big sponsors (PayPal) has said it wants to end its partnership with the Suns if the The identity of the owner did not change after this episode. Finally, we also heard Draymond Green put the NBA owners on the spot, asking that they vote to end (or not) the Robert Sarver era in Phoenix. So many pressure shots that finally got the better of the owner of the Suns, who will put the Arizona franchise up for sale according to a press release shared by Baxter Holmes d’ESPN.
“As a man of faith, I believe in redemption and forgiveness. I expected the commissionaire’s one-year suspension to allow me to make amends and take my personal controversy away from the teams that myself and so many people love.
But in the current unforgiving climate, it has become sadly apparent that this is no longer possible. No matter what good things I’ve done, or can still do, it doesn’t matter about the things I may have said in the past. For these reasons, I am beginning the process of selling the Suns and the Mercury.
I don’t want to be a distraction to these two teams and the very capable people who work so hard to bring the joy and excitement that basketball brings to fans around the world. »
The NBA should have demanded Sarver’s sale of the Suns early on. She got bogged down in a mess that could have gone extremely far against her.
The right, final decision will have been made. There’s no room for this kind of talk and behavior, period.
— TrashTalk (@TrashTalk_fr) September 21, 2022
Now, of course, the question that arises concerns the successor to Robert Sarver. Who will become the new owner of the Suns? As Adrian Wojnarowski ofESPN, Phoenix is an attractive franchise on paper. Attractive already because it has become very competitive in recent years, the Suns notably remaining on the best season in their history with 64 wins and participation in the NBA Finals in 2021. Attractive because it has a young superstar like Devin Booker and very serious players like Mikal Bridges and Deandre Ayton who have their whole future ahead of them. But also attractive because there are worse destinations than sunny Arizona. On the sidelines of the Sarver affair, we are therefore on a rising franchise and according to the Woj, it could be jostling at the gate to try to offer the best offer in order to obtain the keys to the Cactus.
Robert Sarver, who was to be temporarily replaced in his governor’s costume by Sam Garvin, will finally throw in the towel. “The best thing for everyone” according to the owner. The best thing for the Suns, for the rest of the League owners, for the NBA as a whole, and probably for him too.
Sources texte : ESPN, @GeraldBourguet