Robert Sarver is in Big Trouble (ANNOUNCES SALE PROCESS)

[Hoop Head]

How can an owner be suspended? That whole concept sounds ridiculous.

Well I guess in this case since he is not the sole owner perhaps the other owners gain control?

There's info on the longer release that mentions what he's barred from. He can't represent the Suns/Mercury at any official league event, he can't attend games, and he can't go to the office.

It's a slap on the wrist and really only helps the league.

I'm curious if he'll miss CBA negotiations. Those are next off-season. If it's a year from today then he'll likely miss the majority of them. So the league benefits, in that regard. He was noted as one of the more divisive owners during the last couple of rounds.

 

[Mainstreet]

I'm wondering who is controlling the pocket book now. Is it Sarver or someone else.

 

[Brian in Mesa]

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[Cheesebeef]

I'm wondering who is controlling the pocket book now. Is it Sarver or someone else.

Good question Ouchie and I were just texting about.

 

[Chris_Sanders]

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[Chris_Sanders]

How is this guy still an owner in the NBA?

 

[puckhead]

It took almost a year to get to this judgement by the league?

 

[Finito]

Welp

 

[SirStefan32]

Of course it turned out this way- bad enough to humiliate the organization, but not bad enough to oust him.

 

[Cheesebeef]

Of course it turned out this way- bad enough to humiliate the organization, but not bad enough to oust him.

No. It absolutely is bad enough to oust him. The NBA just took a disgustingly cowardly way out.

 

[Cheesebeef]

How is this guy still an owner in the NBA?

Rules and laws for the obscenely rich don’t apply to them. That’s how.

 

[ASUCHRIS]

Rules and laws for the obscenely rich don’t apply to them. That’s how.

Seems like having hundreds of millions of dollars actually pays off in this country! Who would have thought?

 

[Chris_Sanders]

98.7 is such a joke. They're talking about the Cardinals when this bomb went off

 

[Town Drunk]

Shame on the NBA for not doing what needed to be done. Really disappointed in Silver, who I thought had done a tremendous job up to this point. Sarver doesn’t have the guts to do it himself.

 

[Raindog]

I guess there is always the possibility that the public humiliation from all of this prompts Sarver to sell out and/or step down from his managing partner role.

Yeah, right... that's what this egomaniac will do.

 

[SirStefan32]

Sarver can still be the hero. He resigns with a statement that he doesn't agree with the outcome, and is going to resign in order to not be a distraction in a championship run while he appeals or whatever else. At the same time, he can sign a big fat check to Cam Johnson and tell Jones to use the mid-level exemption Suns have available.

 

[Cheesebeef]

Sarver can still be the hero. He resigns with a statement that he doesn't agree with the outcome, and is going to resign in order to not be a distraction in a championship run while he appeals or whatever else. At the same time, he can sign a big fat check to Cam Johnson and tell Jones to use the mid-level exemption Suns have available.

 

[Bobster]

Shame on the NBA for not doing what needed to be done. Really disappointed in Silver, who I thought had done a tremendous job up to this point. Sarver doesn’t have the guts to do it himself.

It's not up to Silver - an owner can only be removed by a vote of the other members of the Board of Governors.

 

[Hoop Head]

Sarver can still be the hero. He resigns with a statement that he doesn't agree with the outcome, and is going to resign in order to not be a distraction in a championship run while he appeals or whatever else. At the same time, he can sign a big fat check to Cam Johnson and tell Jones to use the mid-level exemption Suns have available.

There's no hero ending for Sarver. If he resigned to appeal, what would he be fighting for? He resigned, so there wouldn't be anything to appeal other than the fine and since it's already been said that's going to charity he'd look like an ass if he refused to pay it and fought a long legal battle to get out of paying it.

As for signing Cam to an extension, I feel that's less likely now because Sarver will be looking closer at the bottom line to recoup what this cost him. The MLE doesn't matter since no one is available worth spending that on.

The best way he can play it is to ride off into the sunset and potentially focus on the soccer team he owns in Europe, I believe. He's been a disgrace for almost 2 decades and that isn't going to change. His reputation is shot at this point. He almost has to retain control because he'd never be approved to buy in to another major sports franchise in the US in any league after this.

 

[Big Al]

My guess is those owners aren’t going to want MORE bad press and extended for God knows how long with a protracted fight to get rid of one of their own.

They’re probably hoping they take a hit right now, but like everything else awful in the world, something will quickly sweep this story into the trash and be replaced by something worse in society.

Unfortunately that's exactly what may happen. Sweep it under the rug, it get to be yesterday's old news and move on. However Sarver may say I'm out and sell his stake in the team is what we would love to happen. He doesn't care for the welfare & success of this team only the money. He's hindered this team far too long. Unfortunate situation that he has created here. Time will tell

 

[Euphoria]

Took such a long time and this is the punishment .... Phoenix Fans are just screwed with this situation just like the Knicks fans stuck with Dolan.

 

[Raindog]

There's no hero ending for Sarver. If he resigned to appeal, what would he be fighting for? He resigned, so there wouldn't be anything to appeal other than the fine and since it's already been said that's going to charity he'd look like an ass if he refused to pay it and fought a long legal battle to get out of paying it.

Actually, suing/appealing to get out of the fine would be the most Sarver thing to do. And I doubt anyone would be surprised if he does just that.

The NBA is already catching PR hell for slapping him on the wrist. And needless to say, the Suns themselves are tainted beyond redemption as long as he is part of the franchise. There still may be enough toxic controversy surrounding Sarver to drive him out, even if the NBA won't formally do it.

 

[Big Al]

It may be up to the players and the civil rights/social groups to force Sarver out.

Too bad the players aren't going to challenge Sarver unfortunately as they don't want to mess with their own$$ and comfort level, civil rights groups only have very limited power in America, advertisers are powerful and could be the answer to Sarver's removal. But Sarvver will not take the high road and quit as that would show some sort of decency and he doesn't appear to have any of that.

 

[Covert Rain]

Of course it turned out this way- bad enough to humiliate the organization, but not bad enough to oust him.

B.S. Sexual harassment, intimidation in the workplace would get any of us fired from most jobs. It's absolutely enough and it's not even a question. If it was your wife being sexually harassed, you daughter maybe you would feel different.

 

[Hoop Head]

Actually, suing/appealing to get out of the fine would be the most Sarver thing to do. And I doubt anyone would be surprised if he does just that.

The NBA is already catching PR hell for slapping him on the wrist. And needless to say, the Suns themselves are tainted beyond redemption as long as he is part of the franchise. There still may be enough toxic controversy surrounding Sarver to drive him out, even if the NBA won't formally do it.

I expect him to appeal or fight it, I just disagreed with the idea there was a hero sort of ending for Sarver. There's really nothing he can do to save face except bow out quietly but I can't see that happening, especially with the initial report that he disagreed with the suspension and fine.