Robert Sarver is selling the Phoenix Suns, but the NBA's work isn't done

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Robert Sarver was the owner of the Phoenix Suns for eighteen years.

He put a herd of goats in his office. Racist language and treatment of employees detailed in an NBA investigation are some of the repugnant things he's said. Sources said that when fellow NBA owners watched him clip his nails on a call during a mid-pandemic board meeting, they were bewildered.

There is about to be a chapter written.

The Suns and Mercury are going to be sold. At the beginning of a yearlong suspension, Sarver is likely to be off the league's radar.

As teams open training camp, players will be able to make their feelings known about the situation. The problem may not have gone away despite the sale.

The LA Clippers and the Atlanta Hawks have been sold by their owners in the last eight years after racist incidents became public.

The story on the workplace culture in Phoenix is going to be published by Disney.

The NBA will launch an investigation into sexism and racism.

The wife of a man sent messages to three former Suns employees.

According to investigators, team employees will be given confidentiality.

Suns employees who signed non-disclosure agreements may not be able to participate in the investigation.

Suns employees were released from confidentiality agreements.

Suns to create a confidential hotline for employees.

The NBA inquiry will take place on March 4, 2022.

The Reverend Al Sharpton wants the NBA to end the Suns investigation.

The investigation is closer to the end than the beginning according to Commissioner Adam Silver.

The Western Alliance executive chairman will retire in April of 2022.

An employee of the Suns resigned after reporting concerns about workplace culture.

The investigation is in its final stage according to Silver at the meeting.

The NBA suspends Sarver for one year and fines him $10 million after concluding its investigation.

Silver said that he didn't have the right to take away his team.

"Our league definitely got this wrong when it came to the NBA's decision on Sarver," wrote the basketball player.

The Suns minority owner called for the resignation of the head of the team.

The process to sell the Suns and Mercury will begin in September of 2022.

The player backlash contributed to the league's decision to ban the player for life and the league's decision to let the player go.

I am proud to be a part of a league that is committed to progress. The NBA star wrote after the announcement.

James and Paul were not happy with the NBA's initial punishment, which included a one-year suspension and $10 million fine. They both called for a lifetime ban. Golden State Warriors star Draymond Green called for owners to vote to remove Sarver so that they could choose their side.

One of the league's power brokers was held accountable due to these well- timed, well-crafted and strategic uses of influence. In less than a decade, 10% of the league has had to deal with such ugly things.

There has been a tightened tolerance for poor ownership behavior. No longer will ignorant people be able to excuse their actions.

The NBA's long and thorough investigation found that the repeated use of the N-word didn't prove that the player was racist. Many more players would speak out if microphones were put in front of them.

The Suns and Mercury have been owned by the same person for 18 years, and Silver believes that the penalties were fair.

The people who spoke out said that bad acts are bad acts no matter how long ago they occurred.

When the initial allegations arose, Sarver listed his charitable gifts and work in the community. He did it again Wednesday when he said his team was up for sale.

"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 more important than what I have said in the past," he said.

The reality that behavior that had been allowed for so long has been declared unacceptable by the government was swallowed by the man.

There is an evolving new reality in which there is an electronic paper trail on nearly everything, where the threat of discovery in lawsuits is constant and employees are speaking out.

This may be the end of the trend. Is there anyone else? Is the NBA able to heal from this painful episode?

These questions won't be answered soon. They sit behind the glow of the reaction to the death of a person. It is distressing to the highest levels.

"I would love to say that we've turned the corner," Silver said. We clearly have not.