PHOENIX — The Phoenix Suns NBA team and Phoenix Mercury WNBA teams are up for sale, according to a statement from the teams' owner Robert Sarver.
Sarver released the statement Wednesday morning just over a week after the NBA released the findings of an independent investigation into him, detailing numerous times when Sarver treated female employees unequally and used the N-word.
The NBA, in response to the investigation, suspended Sarver from all NBA and WNBA activities and fined the owner $10 million.
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"As a man of faith, I believe in atonement and the path to forgiveness. I expected that the commissioner's one-year suspension would provide the time for me to focus, make amends and remove my personal controversy from the teams that I and so many fans love," Sarver said.
"But in our current unforgiving climate, it has become painfully clear that that is no longer possible – that whatever good I have done, or could still do, is outweighed by things I have said in the past. For those reasons, I am beginning the process of seeking buyers for the Suns and Mercury."
Other Suns owners, the NBA players union and the team's largest sponsor have all urged Sarver to resign in light of the NBA's report.
Suns Legacy Partners, LLC, the entity that manages and operates the Suns and Mercury, issued the following statement Wednesday afternoon:
We agree that Robert Sarver’s decision to sell the Suns and Mercury is in the best interest of the organization and community.
We also know that today’s news does not change the work that remains in front of us to create, maintain and protect a best-in-class experience for our staff, players, fans, partners and community.
As we’ve shared with our employees, we acknowledge the courage of the people who came forward in this process to tell their stories and apologize to those hurt.
We are on a journey that began before last November, one that has included changes to leadership, staff and accountability measures. While we are proud of our progress and the culture of respect and integrity we are building, we know there remains work to do and relationships to rebuild. We are committed to doing so for our staff, players, fans, partners and this community.
VERSIÓN EN ESPAÑOL: Robert Sarver dice que está comenzando el proceso para vender las franquicias de los Phoenix Suns de la NBA y Phoenix Mercury de la WNBA
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