Prior to the Suns’ season opener on Wednesday, a 107–105 victory over the Mavericks, NBA commissioner Adam Silver apologized multiple times to employees of the Phoenix organization for the league’s handling of owner Robert Sarver over the years, according to a report from ESPN’s Baxter Holmes.
“I’m incredibly empathetic to what many of you have lived through,” Silver reportedly told a gathering of hundreds of employees, including team executives and interim governor Sam Garvin, per ESPN.
Silver went on to apologize and take responsibility for the extent that the employees “feel let down by the league.”
Sarver announced in late September that he began the process of selling the Suns and Mercury after an NBA investigation led to him being suspended for one year and fined $10 million for creating a toxic workplace environment.
Silver said in a press conference last week that he stands by the punishment even though he had the option to suspend Sarver longer. “The conduct is indefensible, but I feel like we dealt with it in a fair manner,” adding that they took “into account the totality of the circumstances, not just those particular allegations.”
When announcing the punishment, the league said that the investigation found the 60-year-old used the n-word at least five times “when recounting the statements of others” during his time with both franchises.
Additionally, he was found to have consistently acted inappropriately toward employees. There were “instances of inequitable conduct toward female employees,” which included “sex-related comments,” the league said in a statement. Additionally, he reportedly engaged in “inappropriate physical conduct toward male employees.”
