Here are a few thoughts after reading, re-reading, and speaking to people around the Valley whose opinions I value and respect on the ESPN report that was released earlier today on Robert Sarver. https://www.espn.com/nba/story/_/id/32440987/phoenix-suns-robert-sarver-allegations-racism-misogyny
-Will Chris Paul play for the Suns tonight against the Houston Rockets? When Paul was with the LA Clippers, he didn’t play the day the report came out about Donald T. Sterling’s racist behavior. https://www.washingtonpost.com/news/early-lead/wp/2014/07/25/chris-paul-unacceptable-for-donald-sterling-to-remain-clippers-owner/
-ESPN, the media outlet that reported today’s story on Sarver, is a stakeholder in the NBA. The legal teams of the NBA and Disney(which owns ESPN) are business partners. This is a story that is bad for business. The fact the story even got published is a minor miracle given the amount of legal pressure that was likely applied to the writer, Baxter Holmes.
-Now that the most significant wave has hit(the story). What will the smaller waves bring?
-Will Sarver be pushed out of ownership(really hard to do). Will the NBA suspend him?
More to come…
Brad Cesmat
