Suns owner Robert Sarver has begun the process of seeking a buyer for his NBA franchise, as well as the WNBA’s Phoenix Mercury, he announced today in a statement.
Following the recent conclusion of an investigation into allegations made by current and former Suns employees, Sarver received a one-year suspension and was fined $10MM for workplace misconduct, including racist and misogynistic comments.
In today’s statement, Sarver said that his remarks and actions, as described in that investigation, now overshadow the work he has done with the Suns, the Mercury, and professional basketball in Phoenix.
“I do not want to be a distraction to these two teams and the fine people who work so hard to bring the joy and excitement of basketball to fans around the world,” Sarver said. “I want what’s best for these two organizations, the players, the employees, the fans, the community, my fellow owners, the NBA and the WNBA. This is the best course of action for everyone.”
While Sarver claimed that he “deeply” regrets the comments he made to employees and plans to “work on becoming a better person,” the statement also paints him as a victim — he expressed disappointment that he wouldn’t be able to “make amends” and return to the Suns following his one-year ban.
“In our current unforgiving climate, it has become painfully clear that that is no longer possible – that whatever good I have done, or could still do, is outweighed by things I have said in the past,” Sarver said. “For those reasons, I am beginning the process of seeking buyers for the Suns and Mercury.”
The one-year suspension and $10MM fine levied against Sarver by the NBA was widely viewed as insufficient, with stars like LeBron James and Suns guard Chris Paul among those who expressed a belief that the league’s sanctions fell short. NBPA executive director Tamika Tremaglio subsequently stated that the players’ union felt as if Sarver should be banned from the league for life.
There was concern that imposing an indefinite ban on Sarver or attempting to force him out as the Suns’ owner would open the door to an ugly legal battle for the NBA. Sarver’s decision to willingly sell the franchise should bail out the league and his fellow owners, who would have had to vote to remove him if the NBA attempted to force him to sell.
Even if Sarver feels has no other choice but to sell, he stands to financially benefit in a major way. He bought the Suns for $401MM in 2004. Recent estimates from Forbes and Sportico projected the current value of the franchise at approximately $1.8-1.9 billion.
Those valuations have historically undershot a team’s true value, so it wouldn’t be a surprise if the Suns ultimately sell for $2 billion or more. As Adrian Wojnarowski of ESPN tweets, league executives have long felt that Phoenix – a warm-weather destination not far from the West Coast – could become a “monster” free agent destination with the right ownership group in place.
As he should!!! It’s no room in the NBA for a guy like him. Robert Sarver ain’t no different from Donald Sterling. I’m interested to see who’s going to buy the Phoenix Suns.
Exactly!!! Guys gonna have to walk away with a measly $1.5 billion profit. Loser!
Sounds like a winner.
You can definitely still be a loser if you’re rich. As if money is the actual determinant of whether he’s a winner or not.
Is he serious?
There are a lot of billionaires in San Francisco area
In 2021 there are 5 richest of world top 8 are in Sillican Valley
No
Only two are in the top 10 in the US are from that area – both from Google. You’re off…again.
Sillivan Valley*
Everyone is so hurt from words these days…come get me Feelings Police!
Really, the man forced to sell his team due to our uber sensitive society. My God grow up ,get your priorities straight!.
Cancel culture at work
Sarver is just one of many. I have little empathy for guys who think their poop don’t stink.
He is a typical owner. 90% think and feel that old type of management theory. He is a sacrificial lamb. These people eat each other. Another will pop up soon
Look for Dan Snyder to be next but these older men were raised with these attitudes about minorities and women.
Not to excuse their behavior but they were raised that way.
You sure you’re not excusing it?
We live in America my friend, freedom of thought,freedom of speech, freedom of expression. Server has the right to all of the above and still own his team.
It’s amusing how few people know what “freedom of speech” means.
You are invoking it on this particular website sir. Voicing opinion that might be contrary and considered by some inflammatory, yet protected.
No, I am not. They can delete any comment I want on this website. Freedom of speech only applies to government restrictions.
You’re one of the people that doesn’t know what it means.
What you don’t understand is that freedom of speech does not mean freedom from consequences.
Freedom of speech is a right, as stated in the 1st and 14th Amendments to the Constitution of the United States, to express information, ideas, and opinions free of government restrictions based on content.
The key would be government restrictions, and even then there are limits.
Wish you were around in the 1700’s through 1800’s. Many folks could’ve used your inspiring thoughts and comments to tell their owners they should be free as well.
What about people today what’s really changed? Hope Seattle buy’s them and all professional sports leave AZ
Why..?
Seattle has already the Mariners,Seahawks,Sounders and so on.
KC? St.Louis? Tampa BayL
Cancel culture is a myth. It’s called capitalism. It’s always been capitalism.
Cancel culture is a myth? Lmao
“Cancel culture” is a false flag used by anyone who feels threatened by the idea of accountability.
Yes. Cancel culture is 100% a myth. The only thing that matters is money. If you’re costing someone above you money, you’re gone. Same as it ever was.
@rct you don’t live in reality my friend
When Donald Sterling sold the Clippers to Steve Balmer he did a great job because he’s a great owner. I hope the same happens with the Phoenix Suns.
Dan Snyder & James Dolan are terrible owners.
Both of them need to sale their teams.
It’s a much longer list than that, but those two are definitely at the top.
John Fisher, who owns the Oakland Athletics, seems like he belongs at the top of that list, too.
Considered awful because their particular franchises are horrendous or because they dont conform to your social standards.
It’s both, and apparently you don’t have social standards/morals if you think what Snyder and Sarver do is an ok way to treat people who work for you.
Ta-ta Sarver. Don’t let the door hit you in the butt. The shame of it is that you stand to make a filthy-rich profit from the sale.
Suns fan here, super happy with this news.
Seems like he has positioned himself and his teams to move in the desired direction
He will profit and not be financially hurt at all
NBA will have to heavily vet an screen the new buyers to ensure their compliance with the leagues new priorities
We live in an age where everything has a footprint now and you better watch what you say!
And if you said something bad 10-20 years ago, we are still going to get our pitchforks out!
A) This wasn’t one thing he did, it was a pattern.
B) This is/was ongoing, not something that happened 10-20 years ago.
C) Starver is plenty old enough and should be wise enough to know better. If he isn’t, he shouldn’t be in a position where he’s responsible for creating a workplace culture.
Sometimes the pitchforks do come out when they shouldn’t, but this isn’t one of those times.
Anybody else suspect this might be the result of a few phone calls from Silver? “We’re getting a lot of push back here… How about you sell the thing, make a ton of cash, and NOT force me to do something uncomfortable?”
and if this was the case u have a problem with it?
Silver did what he had the authority to do friend nothing more. Silver’s position and power is limited by the owners. Server caved under social pressure. Unfortunately.
You think it’s just fine and dandy to have such a scumbag as the boss of an organization? Sounds like you’ve never worked in the corporate world.
Keep/Sell the team is a big whatever to me.
Watch him sabotage the team by trading Booker and Ayton for nothing so he can screw over the new owner. Lol
That’d sabotage his own sale price, too. A playoff team brings in extra revenue, which will bump the price some.
I’ll bid :)
Sarver selling the team may be the best thing that ever happened to the Suns. Not only did his racist and mysoginistic behavior foster a toxic work environment for his employees. Sarver is also notoriously cheap when it comes to team payroll and has proven himself a bit of an ignoramus.
I’m assuming this idiot inherited his money, pays his players minimum wage and hasn’t a single minority or woman working for him according to your dissertation.
We found Sarver’s wife’s burner. Or are you a Colangelo?
Drake should buy them and move them to Toronto
Sarver should sell the team to Jobs and McKenzie Scott. Female ownership would be a great ownership.
Maybe add Jennifer Lopez as a minority shareholder as she does not have the same amount of monies as Laurene Jobs and McKenzie Scott , and than you have three women who pay $2.8 Billion to own a NBA and a WNBA team. And after the next media deal they recapture their monies in 5 years.
Sad to think this guy has profited from the folks his racism is directed towards.
YES! So happy to finally be rid of this guy
Bye ………. take you two billion and go away.
Look for Sterling. You can hang with the bunnies and talk about old times.