A little over a week after the NBA announced a year-long suspension and $10 million fine for Robert Sarver, the Phoenix Suns owner has announced that he’s looking to sell the franchise.
“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. 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,” the long-time owner wrote in a statement.
The decision comes in the wake of immense backlash from Adam Silver’s slim punishment for years of Sarver’s extremely inappropriate conduct. Many believed the commissioner should have found a way to force the owner out of his position at the time, but it appears clear the fallout has done it for him.
I’m just glad the league will be able to move on from this ugly episode. Sarver’s actions were detrimental to the NBA and should never be tolerated. I wish Silver would have emphasized that with a harsher penalty right off the bat, but at least the end result appears to be that Sarver is on his way out of office.
The question now is who will emerge as a potential buyer. Fresh off a trip to the NBA Finals two seasons ago, Phoenix remains a league powerhouse. The organization has plenty of potential for that to continue, too, as Devin Booker has quickly risen up the league’s superstar ranks. Overall, as an attractive free-agent destination with plenty of immediate upside, the list of candidates should be expansive.