Robert Sarver has been the owner of the Phoenix Suns since 2004, and to say that he has done a poor job of running the team would be an understatement. The team enjoyed some success at the start of his tenure and also in recent years, but everything in the middle of that was an utter disaster.
While he has done a terrible job as owner of the team, it seems he has also been just as terrible a human being behind the scenes. The NBA had launched an investigation into Sarver last year, and the results finally came out yesterday, as the league suspended him for a year and fined him $10 million for workplace misconduct which included racism and sexual harassment. It was not a popular decision, however, as many called for him to be removed from ownership as Donald Sterling was in 2014 for his racist remarks.
Richard Jefferson Says Former Suns Players He Spoke To Weren’t Surprised By Robert Sarver’s Misconduct
Some former players in the media have spoken out on the situation, with Matt Barnes stating that Sarver was a perfect candidate to be kicked out of the NBA. Richard Jefferson also chimed in on the situation on NBA Today on ESPN, and he stated that former Suns players he spoke to weren’t surprised by any of the reports.
(starts at 2:41 mark):
“When we talk about the players, I know multiple former Phoenix Suns players, obviously from our job and what we do, and just different guys that I know, none of this surprised any of them. When the story came out from Baxter Holmes, it was like ‘Oh yeah that sounds about right.’ or I would hear stories before this.”
The fact that multiple former players weren’t surprised by it shows that it is pretty much in line with who he is. It is a pity that these players didn’t come out about this in the past, as an individual like Sarver shouldn’t be an owner in the NBA. It is a real pity that the league didn’t force him to sell the team, as that would have been the right thing to do.
A current employee on the Suns expressed her disappointment at the light punishment delivered by the NBA as she stated that the league doesn’t stand for diversity. It is a black eye for the league, and we can expect more backlash to come their way in the coming days.
