The owner of the Phoenix Suns and the Phoenix Mercury teams has started the process of selling both franchises, The Athletic reports. Robert Sarver was slapped with a year long ban from the sport and a $10 million fine on Sept. 13 after an NBA investigation uncovered allegations of racial abuse and sexual harassment, including a handful of incidents where Sarver dropped the N-word. The punishment was heavily criticized by many players, including LeBron James and Draymond Green, who felt it was lenient. “As a man of faith, I believe in atonement and the path to forgiveness,” Sarver said in a statement Wednesday. “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.” Sarver, who owns a one-third stake in both teams, became their primary owner when he purchased them in July 2004 for $404 million. Forbes estimated the Suns’ worth at $1.8 billion in Oct. 2021.
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