Fire Robert Sarver

[Mainstreet]

the NBA is not at all interested in moving out of the Valley. and certainly not because of the arena

and they're surely not interested in Sarver mucking up a new franchise in Vegas

In the end, this may be the reason the Suns stay.

 

[Mainstreet]

Imagine Seattle NBA fans who had to watch KD leave after one year then get stuck with clown Sarver.

Maybe Sarver sells out at this point to maximize his profit and Seattle gets a new owner.

 

[1tinsoldier]

Maybe Sarver sells out at this point to maximize his profit and Seattle gets a new owner.

the sad truth is Sarver is a rich kid who wouldn't know what to do with the profits from selling anyway
he wants to continue playing with the best toy money can buy
-- a pro sports team

the only pressure we've got going for us is that the fans have turned on him
the media has publicized his incompetence, and his reputation is dirt
likely not enough to make a difference
in his mind, he probably believes he'll pull it all together because he's a business genius

 

[Mainstreet]

the sad truth is Sarver is a rich kid who wouldn't know what to do with the profits from selling anyway
he wants to continue playing with the best toy money can buy
-- a pro sports team

the only pressure we've got going for us is that the fans have turned on him
the media has publicized his incompetence, and his reputation is dirt
likely not enough to make a difference
in his mind, he probably believes he'll pull it all together because he's a business genius

It could be this or it could be Sarver ramping up demand before he sells the team.

He can always but new toys.

 

[AzStevenCal]

yes. And it's not about teaching Sarver a lesson. It's about FORCING him to actually move so we can eventually get a team worth watching.

I don't think the NBA will be in all that big of a rush to move back into Phoenix.

 

[JCSunsfan]

I don't think the NBA will be in all that big of a rush to move back into Phoenix.

They have a facility much better than ours just sitting there waiting. Our hope is in Colangelo and his influence. If the team moved to one of the reservation sites around town, I really would not care much. There is a lot of money in those places just sitting waiting to be used. City Leaders need to take a long hard look at what downtown will be like without the Suns in that Arena.

Stinking Sarver should be selling this, not threatening.

 

[BC867]

Hey, BC. I thought you might be interested in this bit from an Athletic article:

https://theathletic.com/708864/2018...-asked-but-weve-got-a-point-man-for-the-suns/

Thanks. After I sent letters to Sarver's partners, one of our posters said they will never turn on him because he has made them millions. I am certainly glad to see that is changing.

I wonder if Adam Silver's underling who sent a generic response to my letter will now pass it on to him.

And if Jerry, who sent me a Merry Christmas response, will get in Adam's ear.

Hopefully, change is on the way! And I don't mean geographical.

 

[BC867]

So if Phoenix says no to the renovation, do you want Sarver to move them to Seattle or Las Vegas? And once he did, what team would you follow? I figure it's as close to firing Sarver as we're going to get.

I respect Suns fans, such as yourself, who continued rooting for the team even after you left Phoenix.

I have a different point of view, though. Being that I did it in reverse, moving my family here forty years ago, The Valley of the Sun is my loyalty. It was a labor of love!

If the Suns move to Seattle or Las Vegas or anywhere else, they will no longer be special to me.

It is why I have been so passionate about the harm that Sarver has done, not just to the Suns, but to our community.

Even if he has backed himself into a corner, tries to weasel his way out of it and the Suns stay, I will not be satisfied until he is removed.

Maybe it is a good thing that he has gone too far and expedited the process. With him, it is all about money. Only about money!

 

[1tinsoldier]

no banker would make a business loan for a proprietor who has run his business and reputation to the ground
NBA teams are normally a good investment
but not with an owner with a failed track record in the business
and customers who are not buying his defective product

this city should not invest in a team under bad ownership

 

[JCSunsfan]

no banker would make a business loan for a proprietor who has run his business and reputation to the ground
NBA teams are normally a good investment
but not with an owner with a failed track record in the business
and customers who are not buying his defective product

this city should not invest in a team under bad ownership

They will when the business is so lucrative that even a bad owner triples his investment in ten years or so. I wonder if the other owners like having Sarver around so they can have a team to beat up on regularly. The Washington Generals are an essential part of the Globetrotters show.

 

[AzStevenCal]

I respect Suns fans, such as yourself, who continued rooting for the team even after you left Phoenix.

I have a different point of view, though. Being that I did it in reverse, moving my family here forty years ago, The Valley of the Sun is my loyalty. It was a labor of love!

If the Suns move to Seattle or Las Vegas or anywhere else, they will no longer be special to me.

It is why I have been so passionate about the harm that Sarver has done, not just to the Suns, but to our community.

Even if he has backed himself into a corner, tries to weasel his way out of it and the Suns stay, I will not be satisfied until he is removed.

Maybe it is a good thing that he has gone too far and expedited the process. With him, it is all about money. Only about money!

I was a die hard fan of the Suns when I moved to California so I remained a Suns fan. Some do it differently, I'm okay with that. But if they move to Seattle, Las Vegas or even some place in California, they will no longer be "my team". I doubt I'll watch another NBA game if the Suns leave Arizona.

 

[AzStevenCal]

They have a facility much better than ours just sitting there waiting. Our hope is in Colangelo and his influence. If the team moved to one of the reservation sites around town, I really would not care much. There is a lot of money in those places just sitting waiting to be used. City Leaders need to take a long hard look at what downtown will be like without the Suns in that Arena.

Stinking Sarver should be selling this, not threatening.

Isn't a separate practice facility a key part of this upgrade he's requesting? I know that's all the rage in the NBA.

 

[Hoop Head]

That story pretty much sums it all up... and is very discouraging about the future. As a Suns fan, you can't feel good about the grim forecast.

For almost the entirety of the team's history, the Suns were one of the NBA's most successful franchises, and except for a brief four or so year period in the 1980s, at worst, one of the foremost second tier ones. What is the only thing that has changed over all those decades that we are now the NBA laughing stock?

They were the 3rd or 4th most winningest team when Nash was traded away. They held the 4th place spot up until Hornacek's 2nd year as the coach. We're now 7th with the Rockets likely to overtake us within the next year or two if D'Antoni can get them back to being a 50 win team, and we lose 50+ as usual. The Spurs are #1 now and I now they weren't there last I looked. The Lakers, Celtics, Thunder/Sonics, Jazz, and Trailblazers are after the Spurs and in that order.

https://www.basketball-reference.com/teams/

In case that link doesn't do it automatically you only need to click on the W/L% column to get it to list teams in order from best to worst.

 

[Ouchie-Z-Clown]

They were the 3rd or 4th most winningest team when Nash was traded away. They held the 4th place spot up until Hornacek's 2nd year as the coach. We're now 7th with the Rockets likely to overtake us within the next year or two if D'Antoni can get them back to being a 50 win team, and we lose 50+ as usual. The Spurs are #1 now and I now they weren't there last I looked. The Lakers, Celtics, Thunder/Sonics, Jazz, and Trailblazers are after the Spurs and in that order.

https://www.basketball-reference.com/teams/

In case that link doesn't do it automatically you only need to click on the W/L% column to get it to list teams in order from best to worst.

Man slipping 3-4 slots means little in the big scheme of things but if we didn’t have a championship I at least liked the narrative of winningest franchise never to win a championship. Now we don’t even have that.

 

[Hoop Head]

Man slipping 3-4 slots means little in the big scheme of things but if we didn’t have a championship I at least liked the narrative of winningest franchise never to win a championship. Now we don’t even have that.

I don't think it means all that much either but it does speak to Sarver's incompetence. I recall seeing a Reddit post by someone stating if we finished no worse than 500 these last few years then we'd still have that position. The Suns have done nothing but fail under Sarver and for some reason he still think he's the smartest guy in any room.

In regards to the arena, if the city declines I hope they make it clear as day that they would be happy to approve a deal for an NBA that wasn't owned by Robert Sarver. THAT might actually get Adam Silver's attention. Fan letters and columns like Bickley's won't get him involved in our mess until there is a clear downside to Sarver that can be pointed at by the league. At that point he's hindering the league from making money in Phoenix, which has the 5th largest metropolitan population in the US and also is home to a huge latino market, which is a group the NBA has been trying to tap into with their recent trips to Mexico for regular season games.

I could see Sarver selling if Silver told him the only place he can move them is to Mexico City, which I think will be at the top of expansion lists after Seattle gets their Sonics back. I don't think any current NBA owner would sign up for the role of bringing the NBA to Mexico even though I believe it would be approved quicker by the league than moving a team back to Seattle.

 

[BC867]

I could see Sarver selling if Silver told him the only place he can move them is to Mexico City, which I think will be at the top of expansion lists after Seattle gets their Sonics back. I don't think any current NBA owner would sign up for the role of bringing the NBA to Mexico even though I believe it would be approved quicker by the league than moving a team back to Seattle.

Well, we have the jerseys for it.

 

[Folster]

Sarver was really stupid for firing McDonough at the beginning of the season. McD would be at least catching some of the fans' ire for the roster and record. With him gone there is nobody to deflect the heat and Sarver is getting scorched.

His only option is to bring in a legit gm/basketball mind and completely hand over the reigns and step away or move the team. His name is mud right now and only winning will repair it.

 

[BC867]

Sarver was really stupid for firing McDonough at the beginning of the season. McD would be at least catching some of the fans' ire for the roster and record. With him gone there is nobody to deflect the heat and Sarver is getting scorched.

His only option is to bring in a legit gm/basketball mind and completely hand over the reigns and step away or move the team. His name is mud right now and only winning will repair it.

Good points. Logical. But not applicable here. Unfortunately, you can't reason with an unreasonable person. And Sarver's behavior indicates that he would rather his name be mud than none at all.

He has constantly hired or promoted General Managers and Head Coaches to be his scapegoats. People who have never held those level jobs before. Easy targets for his abuse.

Unfortunately, winning is not among Sarver's top priorities. Only fame and fortune. Unfortunately for us, being Managing General Partner of the Suns has brought him both. That is all he needs!

 

[Superbone]

I respect Suns fans, such as yourself, who continued rooting for the team even after you left Phoenix.

I have a different point of view, though. Being that I did it in reverse, moving my family here forty years ago, The Valley of the Sun is my loyalty. It was a labor of love!

If the Suns move to Seattle or Las Vegas or anywhere else, they will no longer be special to me.

It is why I have been so passionate about the harm that Sarver has done, not just to the Suns, but to our community.

Even if he has backed himself into a corner, tries to weasel his way out of it and the Suns stay, I will not be satisfied until he is removed.

Maybe it is a good thing that he has gone too far and expedited the process. With him, it is all about money. Only about money!

As a native Phoenician who moved out of state for professional reasons, I feel the same. I would no longer be a life-long die hard Suns fan if they moved out of state.

 

[Cheesebeef]

As a native Phoenician who moved out of state for professional reasons, I feel the same. I would no longer be a life-long die hard Suns fan if they moved out of state.

I'll do you one better... I'm a die-hard who moved out of state also, but if Sarver moved the Suns, not only would i stop being a fan, they would instantly become the team I hate most in sports. I'd even root for the Lakers over them if it came to that.

 

[Cheesebeef]

I don't get how there wasn't one playoff team out there that didn't think they could use 11 on their team as an instant offense/Vinny Johnson type guy off the bench.

 

[Superbone]

I'll do you one better... I'm a die-hard who moved out of state also, but if Sarver moved the Suns, not only would i stop being a fan, they would instantly become the team I hate most in sports. I'd even root for the Lakers over them if it came to that.

I told guys at work today that if Sarver moved the team, I would take money out of my retirement account to put a hit on him. (Now if something happens to him, somebody hacked my account.)

 

[sunsfan88]

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I do wonder how much of that last part “Usually bad ownership means players don’t stay” is true. LeBron played for Dan Gilbert for like 10+ years but yeah he did have an emotional connection to the city that Booker doesn’t have to Phoenix.

 

[devilalum]

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I do wonder how much of that last part “Usually bad ownership means players don’t stay” is true. LeBron played for Dan Gilbert for like 10+ years but yeah he did have an emotional connection to the city that Booker doesn’t have to Phoenix.

Players have finally woken up and realized that they have as much right as owners do to look out for themselves. If owners aren't loyal, honest AND competent players are going to move on to a better situation. Of course winning is the true measure of competency.

 

[slinslin]

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I do wonder how much of that last part “Usually bad ownership means players don’t stay” is true. LeBron played for Dan Gilbert for like 10+ years but yeah he did have an emotional connection to the city that Booker doesn’t have to Phoenix.

stop promoting this non-sense

Booker doesn't have an emotional connection to Phoenix but Davis somehow did?

Stop making this media BS a story that it is clearly is not.

Booker has not even started his 5 year extension WITHOUT ANY option and repeatedly says that he wants to be here, wants to build a team here!

This is a total nonstory for at least 3.5 more years. And if we still suck in 3.5 years well I probably won't care much about Booker wanting out if he can't lead this team to wins, we are clearly going to be stacked in terms of talent.

Our situation is not even close to comparable to New Orleans, they did not draft a single worthwhile player since drafting Davis while here on the other hand it is not even a given that Booker is going to be the clearly best player on this team in 3 years.