As Phoenix Suns players work to make amends for last season’s shortcomings, there’s a bitter battle going on behind the scenes.
Last week, allegations surfaced that accused Suns owner Robert Sarver of building and perpetuating a racist and misogynistic culture within the organization.
With an investigation underway, it appears that Sarver’s wife, Penny, has decided to take matters into her own hands.
Over the weekend, ESPN was made aware of several messages sent out from Penny to ex-Suns staffers.
“This is Penny Sarver,” one message began. “I know a lot of bridges were burned between you and Robert and you are very bitter. I want to remind you that real lives are at stake here.”
Later, the message added, “Please put your hatred aside and realize the hurt you are causing by spreading lies and fabrications. Is your time in the spotlight that important? If something happens to one of my children, I will hold you and Earl Watson personally responsible. Think about your own child for a second and imagine the tables turned.”
At least one of the recipients viewed the messages as a threat.
Watson is a former Suns head coach who told ESPN that Sarver’s language and behavior emboldened a toxic workplace.
“I don’t know how to interpret it other than as a threat,” one former employee said of the message they received.
One of the employees said they were unsettled by the message but that they would not be intimidated and were even more emboldened to speak to investigators about their experiences at the Suns under Robert Sarver.
Penny admitted to sending the messages, though denies that she had any intention of intimidating her ex-employees.
“Over the weekend, I decided on my own to reach out to a few people to try to set the record straight and to share how disappointed and hurt I am by the lies that are circulating about my husband and the Suns organization,” Sarver said. “I shared the betrayal that I felt and I touched on some of the pain that we are going through as a family.”
“Any suggestion that I tried to ‘intimidate’ anyone is as silly as it is wrong and outrageous.”
The investigation is still ongoing, so nobody knows for sure how deep this whole controversy goes.
For now, we’ll just have to wait and see how it all plays out.
