Phoenix Suns, Mercury owner Sarver starts process to sell teams after damning harassment report

Phoenix Suns and Mercury proprietor Robert Sarver said helium would statesman the process to merchantability some nonrecreational hoops teams aft a damning study elaborate astir 2 decades' worthy of workplace harassment and inappropriate behaviour by the executive.

Blaming an "unforgiving climate," Sarver said successful a connection Wednesday that helium is incapable to abstracted his "personal" contention from the NBA and WNBA teams.

"Whatever bully I person done, oregon could inactive do, is outweighed by things I person said successful the past. For those reasons, I americium opening the process of seeking buyers for the Suns and Mercury," helium wrote.

Forbes values the Suns, who appeared successful the 2021 NBA Finals, astatine $1.8 billion.

Last week, the NBA suspended Sarver for a twelvemonth aft an autarkic probe corroborated details of a November ESPN report that alleged the proprietor utilized racist language, made sex-related comments to and astir women, and mistreated employees. The league besides fined him $10 million.

"The statements and behaviour described successful the findings of the autarkic probe are troubling and disappointing," NBA Commissioner Adam Silver said past week. "We judge the result is the close one, taking into relationship each the facts, circumstances and discourse brought to airy by the broad probe of this 18-year period."

The NBA didn't instantly respond to a petition for remark connected Sarver's announcement Wednesday.

The Sarver contention is reminiscent of erstwhile erstwhile Los Angeles Clippers proprietor Donald Sterling was fined $2.5 cardinal and banned for beingness from the NBA aft helium was caught making racist comments connected recordings. He was forced to merchantability the squad for $2 cardinal to erstwhile Microsoft CEO Steve Ballmer aft 33 years of ownership. Sterling sued the NBA, but the suit was settled successful 2016.

Read Sarver's afloat connection here:

Words that I profoundly regret present overshadow astir 2 decades of gathering organizations that brought radical unneurotic – and strengthened the Phoenix country – done the unifying powerfulness of nonrecreational men's and women's basketball.

As a antheral of faith, I judge successful atonement and the way to forgiveness. I expected that the commissioner's one-year suspension would supply the clip for maine to focus, marque amends and region my idiosyncratic contention from the teams that I and truthful galore fans love.

But successful our existent unforgiving climate, it has go painfully wide that that is nary longer imaginable – that immoderate bully I person done, oregon could inactive do, is outweighed by things I person said successful the past. For those reasons, I americium opening the process of seeking buyers for the Suns and Mercury.

I bash not privation to beryllium a distraction to these 2 teams and the good radical who enactment truthful hard to bring the joyousness and excitement of hoops to fans astir the world. I privation what's champion for these 2 organizations, the players, the employees, the fans, the community, my chap owners, the NBA and the WNBA. This is the champion people of enactment for everyone.

In the meantime, I volition proceed to enactment connected becoming a amended person, and continuing to enactment the assemblage successful meaningful ways. Thank you for continuing to basal for the Suns and the Mercury, embracing the powerfulness that sports has to bring america together.

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