Chris Paul on Robert Sarver situation: ‘Sanctions fell short’

Chris Paul: Like many others, I reviewed the report. I was and am horrified and disappointed by what I read. This conduct especially towards women is unacceptable and must never be repeated. I am of the view that the sanctions fell short in truly …

Chris Paul: Like many others, I reviewed the report. I was and am horrified and disappointed by what I read. This conduct especially towards women is unacceptable and must never be repeated. I am of the view that the sanctions fell short in truly addressing what we can all agree was atrocious behavior. My heart goes out to all of the people that were affected.

Source: Twitter @CP3

What’s the buzz on Twitter?

Austin Burton @Amaar_206
‘Horrible Bosses 3’ starring Chris Paul
#NBA #SportsMovies pic.twitter.com/PTAStqKfHa – 11:10 PM

Cameron Tabatabaie @CTabatabaie
Robert Sarver bought the Suns for $401 million twenty years ago.
The Suns are worth $1.8 billion today.
Just force that awful man to sell, he’ll be fine. – 11:07 PM
Duane Rankin @DuaneRankin
#Suns All-Star Chris Paul ‘horrified and disappointed’ with Robert Sarver investigation results azcentral.com/story/sports/n… via @azcentral – 10:51 PM
Kurt Helin @basketballtalk
Suns’ Chris Paul releases statement on Sarver, ‘the sanctions fell short’ nba.nbcsports.com/2022/09/14/sun… – 10:21 PM
Kellan Olson @KellanOlson
LeBron and CP3 both understand 1) the power of their voices and 2) the need to address the Sarver investigation now and not wait for Media Day.
I’ve said it before and will keep saying the league is lucky to have those two. – 9:25 PM
Gerald Bourguet @GeraldBourguet
The Point God has risen – 9:19 PM
Jonathan Feigen @Jonathan_Feigen
New #Rockets at #TXSN – Feigen: NBA’s double standard for owners on full display with Robert Sarver suspension ift.tt/HIuvCDc – 9:18 PM
Chris Paul @CP3
Like many others, I reviewed the report. I was and am horrified and disappointed by what I read. This conduct especially towards women is unacceptable and must never be repeated. – 9:18 PM
Duane Rankin @DuaneRankin
Was on @NBCNewsNow live last night talking Robert Sarver investigation. #Suns pic.twitter.com/feFvzGyB91 – 8:36 PM

Dave McMenamin @mcten
New story: LeBron James says the NBA “definitely got this wrong” when it comes to the punishment of Phoenix Suns owner Robert Sarver es.pn/3LgQNiX – 8:28 PM
Tania Ganguli @taniaganguli
Today Adam Silver defended his punishment of Robert Sarver. More on that: nytimes.com/2022/09/14/spo… – 8:16 PM
Sean Highkin @highkin
New column at @RoseGardenReprt (free and unlocked) on the Robert Sarver punishment serving as a reminder of how difficult it is to get rid of an owner rosegardenreport.beehiiv.com/p/cant-fire-ow… – 7:51 PM
Duane Rankin @DuaneRankin
Take action?
Demonstrations?
New ownership?
Business as usual?
Anything is possible, but which one is more/least likely to happen with Phoenix #Suns now that the Robert Sarver investigation has ended with him receiving one-year suspension, $10M fine. https://t.co/B1R8h4SIoQ pic.twitter.com/klORUaLyi5 – 7:49 PM

Marc J. Spears @MarcJSpears
Statement from Tamika Tremaglio, Executive Director of @TheNBPA, about the “horrible” conduct from Suns owner Robert Sarver to @andscape @espn who she believes “should never hold a managerial position within our league again.” pic.twitter.com/q4uEU7Ke6h – 7:49 PM

CBS NBA @CBSSportsNBA
NBA commissioner Adam Silver explains why Suns owner Robert Sarver received only a one-year ban
cbssports.com/nba/news/nba-c… – 7:41 PM
Jonathan Feigen @Jonathan_Feigen
He didn’t mean it? NBA finds excuses for “inexcusable” behavior, with league’s double standard on full display with Robert Sarver suspension houstonchronicle.com/texas-sports-n… via @houstonchron – 7:11 PM
Ben Golliver @BenGolliver
Story: As criticism mounts, NBA commissioner Adam Silver defends his punishment of Robert Sarver & vouches for embattled Suns owner @washingtonpost @PostSports washingtonpost.com/sports/2022/09… – 7:10 PM
NBA Math @NBA_Math
🗣NEW @HardwoodKnocks
📋 NBA ‘What If?!?’ Moments: Atlantic Division
—Robert Sarver (1:32)
—Celtics (16:47)
—Nets (19:16)
—Knicks (21:28)
—76ers (24:37)
—Raptors (26:33)
🎧 https://t.co/5t9G24Qkxc
🍎 https://t.co/EMwHKeXXgc
✳️ https://t.co/JrXBUNnLB7
📺 https://t.co/K9k8wlt8my pic.twitter.com/tyyKbKhuFH – 6:35 PM

Rob Mahoney @RobMahoney
Unpacked the league’s flimsy response to the Robert Sarver investigation with @Seerat Sohi: open.spotify.com/episode/5anJwt… – 6:31 PM
Tim Bontemps @TimBontemps
New ESPN story: NBA Commissioner Adam Silver said he “doesn’t know how to measure” the punishment the league handed down to Robert Sarver in comparison to what would happen to any team or league employee. “There’s no neat answer here.” espn.com/nba/story/_/id… – 6:25 PM
Duane Rankin @DuaneRankin
‘Very different’: #NBA Commissioner Adam Silver addresses Robert Sarver-Donald Sterling comparisons #Suns https://t.co/oJ27s9NPsy via @azcentral pic.twitter.com/Ntaegke7Qj – 6:18 PM

The Ringer @ringernba
What does the NBA’s punishment of Robert Sarver implicate for the future?
@Rob Mahoney and @Seerat Sohi examine the investigation: open.spotify.com/episode/5anJwt… – 6:13 PM
Kevin Pelton @kpelton
The big takeaway reiterated by Robert Sarver’s league-mandated discipline: If it’s going to be nearly impossible to remove an owner for misconduct, the approval process has to identify that potential before someone is allowed the “rights” of ownership. – 5:45 PM
Duane Rankin @DuaneRankin
The year suspension began yesterday.
The process has begun to identify another team owner to act as “Interim Governor.”
So what’s next for Phoenix #Suns following conclusion of Robert Sarver investigation?
Any and everything is possible. azcentral.com/story/sports/n… via @azcentral – 5:42 PM
Duane Rankin @DuaneRankin
Robert Sarver vs. Donald Sterling: Both #NBA owners behaved badly, so why was only one banned for life? (via @iam_DanaScott) #Suns #Clippers azcentral.com/story/sports/n… via @azcentral – 5:35 PM
Kamenetzky Brothers @KamBrothers
I’ll be on @ESPNLosAngeles with @John Ireland from 1-4pm PT. We’re talking Lakers, Westbrook, Dodgers, Adam Silver’s Robert Sarver presser, Rams, The Golden Girls and more. Listen up! AK – 4:23 PM
Mike Vorkunov @MikeVorkunov
What was the difference in how NBA punished Donald Sterling and Robert Sarver?
Adam Silver: “It’s not strong enough. It’s beyond the pale in every possible way to use language and behave that way but that was wholly of a different content than what we saw in that earlier case.” pic.twitter.com/i1XZtwrY35 – 4:20 PM

Mike Vorkunov @MikeVorkunov
Adam Silver said his punishment for Robert Sarver was based in part on mitigating information he was privy to from investigation that he said offered him context. “What I have access to is a bit different than the public,” he said, because investigators offered confidentiality. pic.twitter.com/TJ9YD1ICpX – 4:02 PM

Mike Vorkunov @MikeVorkunov
Adam Silver said neither he nor anyone in NBA knew about Robert Sarver’s behavior before @Baxter Holmes report. Investigation found Sarver sent an email to league office in 2016 using the N-word. Silver said that was in “context…he was reporting about particular behavior of a player.” – 3:48 PM
NBA on ESPN @ESPNNBA
Commissioner Adam Silver spoke Wednesday about the NBA’s punishment of Suns owner Robert Sarver.
“I was in disbelief to a certain extent about what I learned that had transpired over the last 18 years in the Suns organization.” pic.twitter.com/SfXrxtBG4s – 3:31 PM

Mark Medina @MarkG_Medina
Adam Silver said he had the option to punish Robert Sarver longer, but believed one year was appropriate. Silver said Sarver’s “level of remorse, at least expressed to me, was taking complete accountability and seemed fully remorseful.” – 3:29 PM
Gerald Bourguet @GeraldBourguet
Adam Silver said the NBA did not know about Robert Sarver’s behavior before ESPN’s article. Said it had not been reported to them prior to that point – 3:29 PM
Kellan Olson @KellanOlson
Adam Silver confirms he had the option to give Robert Sarver a longer suspension. On Sarver’s statement yesterday, Silver said Sarver took “full accountability” and is “remorseful.” – 3:27 PM
Gerald Bourguet @GeraldBourguet
“There’s no question, he’s on notice. He knows that.” – Adam Silver on whether he believes Robert Sarver will actually change his behavior during his suspension.
Adds that most of those incidents were in the past – 3:27 PM
Gerald Bourguet @GeraldBourguet
Adam Silver said he had the option to go longer than a one-year suspension for Robert Sarver but landed on that length, noting it’s the second-longest suspension in NBA history.
As for his remorse, Silver said Sarver was taking “complete accountability” and seemed remorseful – 3:26 PM
Mark Medina @MarkG_Medina
Adam Silver maintained that Robert Sarver has “evolved” and that the documented incidents of racism & sexism happened much earlier in his tenure. – 3:16 PM
Chris Mannix @SIChrisMannix
Reporters in New York are asking very good questions to Adam Silver about the Robert Sarver investigation and punishment. – 3:13 PM
Tim Bontemps @TimBontemps
Adam Silver says that at no point during this process did he discuss with Robert Sarver the possibility of him voluntarily choosing to sell the Phoenix Suns. – 3:13 PM
Mike Vorkunov @MikeVorkunov
When asked if he believes that Robert Sarver had no race or gender based animus, as the investigative report found, Adam Silver says: “I accept their work.” – 3:10 PM
Mark Medina @MarkG_Medina
Adam Silver more on Robert Sarver’s ruling: “I don’t have the right to take away his team.” Silver added “there’s a legal process in taking away someone’s team” and didn’t feel there was enough in the case to pursue that. – 3:10 PM
Tim Bontemps @TimBontemps
In being asked why Robert Sarver was treated differently than any employee of the NBA or a team, Silver says he believes the consequences are “severe” for Robert Sarver in this situation.
“There is no neat answer here.” – 3:08 PM
Mike Vorkunov @MikeVorkunov
Adam Silver said “there are particular rights here to someone who owns an NBA team as opposed to someone who is an employee,” when explaining why Robert Sarver can keep his NBA team while an employee who did what he did would be fired.
“It’s different than holding a job.” – 3:07 PM
Gerald Bourguet @GeraldBourguet
Pressed on why Robert Sarver wouldn’t be fired when any of us would be for doing many of the things Sarver did, Adam Silver said, “There are particular rights here of someone who owns an NBA team compared to an employee.”
“I don’t have the right to take away his team.” – 3:07 PM
Mike Vorkunov @MikeVorkunov
Adam Silver says the difference between the Robert Sarver punishment and with Donald Sterling is “the context” with the privileged information he has that was not in the report and with Sterling’s incident being fully public. – 3:04 PM
Mark Medina @MarkG_Medina
Adam Silver on Robert Sarver’s case vs Donald Sterling: “There was a realism to it that you have audio. It puts everyone in the same position I was in. We were all looking at the same record. This case is very different.” – 3:02 PM
Jonathan Feigen @Jonathan_Feigen
NBA commissioner Adam Silver, sounding somewhat defensive, describes Robert Sarver’s behavior as “indefensible” and “inexcusable” but cites “totality” of information, including some he has that is not public that brings nuance for choosing the punishment announced yesterday. – 3:02 PM
Gerald Bourguet @GeraldBourguet
Asked about the difference between Robert Sarver and Donald Sterling situations, Adam Silver points to the nature of Sterling’s recording, how quickly it disseminated and and the “realism of the audio” once everyone heard it. With Sarver, he said he’s acknowledged his behavior – 3:02 PM
Jeff Zillgitt @JeffZillgitt
NBA commissioner Adam Silver (paraphrasing) on Robert Sarver: Said he’s in disbelief, disheartened and apologized to Suns employees. Absolutely no excuse for it. Called conduct indefensible but thought he was dealt with in fair manner. – 3:00 PM
Ben Golliver @BenGolliver
NBA Commissioner Adam Silver stands by punishment for Suns owner Robert Sarver: “The conduct is indefensible but I feel like we dealt with it in a fair manner.” – 2:58 PM
Mark Medina @MarkG_Medina
Adam Silver on Robert Sarver’s punishment: “The conduct is indefensible, but I feel we dealt with it in a fair manner.” – 2:58 PM
Vincent Goodwill @VinceGoodwill
Adam Silver on the Robert Sarver investigation: “Disbelief to a certain extent, saddened…No excuse for it. We addressed it.” – 2:57 PM
Mark Medina @MarkG_Medina
NBA Commissioner Adam Silver holding the Board of Governors press conference, which surely will include questions about the Phoenix Suns & Robert Sarver on.nba.com/3BdYulz – 2:57 PM
Howard Beck @HowardBeck
“I was in disbelief to a certain extent about what I learned. … I was saddened by it. … the conduct is indefensible.” — Adam Silver, re Robert Sarver. – 2:57 PM
Gerald Bourguet @GeraldBourguet
At the Board of Governors press conference, NBA commissioner Adam Silver says “From a personal standpoint, I was in disbelief to a certain extent about what I learned” about the situation with the Suns and owner Robert Sarver – 2:57 PM
Tim Reynolds @ByTimReynolds
Adam Silver says he was in disbelief, saddened and disheartened by the Robert Sarver investigation findings. – 2:56 PM
Vincent Goodwill @VinceGoodwill
NBA ownership feels like Congress. You don’t bring Robert Sarver keeping his team to a vote unless you KNOW you have 2/3’s support. Seems wise to assume NBA owners don’t want to set that standard. So, Sarver will stay. sports.yahoo.com/robert-sarvers… – 10:46 AM
Chris Palmer @ChrisPalmerNBA
Chris Paul has seen a lot when it comes to owners. With the Hornets owner George Shinn had multiple affairs and was forced to sell the team. Donald Sterling was banned for life from the Clippers for racism. Now in Phoenix Robert Sarver is suspended a year and fined $10M. – 2:30 PM
Eric Patten @EricPatten
Imagine being CP. He’s had to go through this BS with an owner TWICE in eight years. – 12:41 PM

More on this storyline

Marc Stein: One senses, though, that this saga is far from over. Public pressure on Sarver, as well as the NBA regarding Sarver, has come nowhere close to Sterling levels — presumably because there is no TMZ recording, as with Sterling, of Sarver’s misdeeds. Yet that climate could change. We’re less than two weeks away from Suns Media Day on Sept. 26, which is the latest we will start hearing frequent questions posed to Chris Paul and other Phoenix players, as well as Coach Monty Williams, about Sarver’s ongoing operational control of the Suns. It really shouldn’t fall on them to make up for punishment this light, but the reality is that how players and Suns staffers — and, of course, sponsors — react will have a significant influence on what happens next in terms of a potential external push to urge Sarver to sell the team. -via marcstein.substack.com / September 14, 2022
Curry repeatedly agonized over a moment he wishes he could take back. In 2014, the Los Angeles Clippers owner Donald Sterling was exposed as a vile racist in recordings published by TMZ, in the middle of the upstart Warriors’ playoff series against them. Curry privately discussed a unified player response with the Clippers star Chris Paul, twice, because Curry and his teammates wanted to walk off the court after the jump ball. But the Warriors ultimately deferred to their opponents’ protest of choice — the Clippers wore warmup shirts with the logo inside out, then discarded them at center court — and to the league commissioner’s lifetime ban of Sterling. “One of my biggest regrets is not boycotting the game,” Curry told me. “That was a moment to leverage beyond anything we probably could have said.” -via Rolling Stone / September 12, 2022