Adam Silver supports Sarver’s step to quit the ownership of his Phoenix teams, believes it’s in the favor of the sports community
NBA Commissioner Adam Silver looks favorable to Robert Sarver's decision to step down as the owner of the Phoenix Suns and the Phoenix Mercury. Reports surfaced Wednesday that Sarver was selling both teams. This is most likely due to the proven allegations against him and the punishment that followed.
Silver fully supported Sarver's move to sell the Suns and Mercury. After an unforgivable misdemeanor from Sarver, the NBA now looks at him in a different light. It's probably best for the league that Sarver steps down to avoid any potential conflicts with players and the Phoenix community.
Silver's statement read:
"I fully support the decision by Robert Sarver to sell the Phoenix Suns and Mercury. This is the right next step for the organization and community."
NBA Commissioner Adam Silver issued the following statement: https://t.co/ykBrsEoxc0
NBA superstar LeBron James was one of the players who expressed his distaste against Sarver's actions. A disgusted James pointed out that the community doesn't have room for any form of misogyny, sexism or racism. Other players like Chris Paul and Draymond Green, just to name a few, were also irate toward the situation.
Read through the Sarver stories a few times now. I gotta be honest…Our league definitely got this wrong. I don’t need to explain why. Y’all read the stories and decide for yourself. I said it before and I’m gonna say it again, there is no place in this league for that kind of
behavior. I love this league and I deeply respect our leadership. But this isn’t right. There is no place for misogyny, sexism, and racism in any work place. Don’t matter if you own the team or play for the team. We hold our league up as an example of our values and this aint it.
How did Adam Silver punish Robert Sarver?
Adam Silver recently announced the results of a nine-month long investigation against Robert Sarver. Sarver was accused of sexual harassment, racism, sexism, and a bunch of other things. The accusations convinced Silver and the NBA to initiate an internal investigation.
The investigation concluded that the allegations regarding Sarver's behavior were accurate. The owner of the Phoenix Suns and Phoenix Mercury not only made inappropriate racial insults but also harassed female employees.
Apart from his lack of professionalism, Sarver is a generally rude proprietor. He mocked others and disparaged his female staff. The suspension seems appropriate given NBA policy.
Silver punished Sarver with a one-year suspension and fined him $10 million. This meant that Sarver was banned from the organization overall. He couldn't show up to facilities, offices, games or any team-related business. To make things worse, he also couldn't be involved with operational decisions for both the Suns and Mercury.
In other words, Adam Silver basically took away any authoritative power Sarver held. The NBA commissioner also required Sarver to attend seminars and programs to rectify his personality.
Overall, it became almost impossible for Sarver to return as an owner after a year. He has faced backlash from within the organization and the overall NBA community. It made sense for him to sell the team as things would have only gotten worse with time.
The NBA today issued the following statement: https://t.co/jjlBK771PT