The NBA has suspended Phoenix Suns owner Robert Sarver from the NBA for 1-year and fined him $10 million after a lengthy investigation into inappropriate workplace conduct by Sarver. Despite the many damning discoveries in the investigation, the NBA chose to punish Sarver through a massive fine and a suspension.
The suspension is going to make the Suns’ day-to-day matters a little easier as the disgruntled employees won’t have to deal with the man himself for the next year. While it may not be enough of a punishment in the eyes of many people, this is the situation that everybody will need to accept to move on.
In the meantime, the Suns need somebody to run the team and the NBA had already thought of that. Baxter Holmes of ESPN has revealed that the league will be working with Sarver to appoint an interim governor to take control of the team until his suspension is over.
Robert Sarver will be working with the NBA to appoint an interim governor for the Suns to serve during his one-year suspension, sources tell ESPN.
— Baxter Holmes (@Baxter) September 13, 2022
How Will This Impact The Phoenix Suns On The Court?
If Sarver has input in appointing a governor, it’s unlikely that it will create a massive change within the Suns’ organization. Either way, whoever comes into the role will only have 1 year of work to do, after which all their progress could simply be undone by Sarver upon his return.
The Suns, led by Devin Booker and Chris Paul, played through the drama last season and managed to put on a show through the regular season. While they did fall apart in the playoffs, it wasn’t inherently linked with the situation the team office was in with Sarver.
Hopefully, CP3 can be the leader everyone knows him to be and galvanize the troops at training camp ahead of a do-or-die season for the aging point guard. Considering he and Booker both have contracts to stay at the team beyond the next season, it’s in their best interests to push for a title right now.
