NBA commissioner Adam Silver explains Robert Sarver punishment

NBA Commissioner Adam Silver. Quinn Harris-USA TODAY Sports

NBA commissioner Adam Silver: Robert Sarver's 'evolved as a person,' has done 'many very positive things'

By Victor Barbosa | Last updated 9/14/22

The NBA announced Tuesday that Phoenix Suns and Phoenix Mercury owner Robert Sarver was being suspended for one year and fined $10 million following an investigation into the franchise. The investigation concluded that Sarver used the N-word "at least five times" when recounting the statements of others, while there were also "instances of inequitable conduct toward female employees, sex-related comments and inappropriate comments on employees' appearances."

In addition to the suspension and fine, Sarver must also attend a training program that focuses on respect and appropriate conduct in the workplace.

On Wednesday afternoon, NBA commissioner Adam Silver held the Board of Governors press conference, where questions were unsurprisingly focused on the situation in Phoenix.

NBA Commissioner Adam Silver: Former Clippers owner Donald Sterling was guilty of "blatant racist conduct directed at a select group of people," while Suns owner Robert Sarver's comments were "beyond the pale" but "wholly of a different kind" than Sterling's.
— Ben Golliver (@BenGolliver) September 14, 2022

NBA Commissioner Adam Silver on Suns owner Robert Sarver: "In terms of future behavior, he’s on notice. He knows that. Most of the inappropriate activity goes back many years. The Suns workplace is a very different environment today."
— Ben Golliver (@BenGolliver) September 14, 2022

Silver continued on about what, he believed, were the stark differences between Sarver and Sterling's cases. He also described why Sarver wouldn't be losing ownership of the franchises.

Adam Silver: It's not that one is captured on audio and the other isn't. Mr. Sarver ultimately has acknowledged his behavior. There may be some disagreements about the edges, but it's not a factual dispute here." https://t.co/IBR0jkV3tz
— Mark Medina (@MarkG_Medina) September 14, 2022

. @HowardBeck: "Why should there be a different standard for NBA owner than it would be for everybody who works in this league?"

Adam Silver: "There are particular rights here to someone who owns an NBA team as opposed to someone who is an employee."pic.twitter.com/iS4n5gII9v
— ClutchPoints (@ClutchPointsApp) September 14, 2022

The 60-year-old commissioner detailed why he chose the one-year suspension as well.

Silver said he had the option to suspend Sarver for longer than one year, but chose that length. He added Sarver has expressed “complete remorse” to him, but that Sarver is “on notice” going forward and that he will continue to be scrutinized going forward.
— Tim Bontemps (@TimBontemps) September 14, 2022

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