The members of the Suns organization met with the media to discuss their thoughts on Robert Sarver. There is a time and a place for it.
According to sources who were present, NBA commissioner Adam Silver apologized to the employees of the Phoenix Suns before the team's season opener against the Dallas Mavericks.
A group of hundreds of employees, including some team executives and the team's interim governor, gathered in the lower bowl of the arena hours before the game to hear Silver speak.
During a nearly hourlong address, Silver apologized to the extent that you feel let down by the league. I'm responsible for that.
The league office was asked if they were aware of issues in the team's workplace under the previous owners. He said he was not.
Is Robert difficult to deal with? Silver said yes to employees. Conduct which is seen as discrimination is very different.
A 10-month NBA investigation found that Sarver was involved in "instances of inequitable conduct toward female employees" and that he was fined $10 million.
The owner of the Phoenix Mercury announced on September 21 that he would be selling the franchise. The day after the NBA announced the findings of its investigation, NBA Commissioner Adam Silver said that there had been no calls to the league's confidential hotline.
Silver apologized to employees and said that no conduct had been reported through any of the league's official channels.
"Obviously, it's a failure of an overall system, of a league of 30 teams," Silver said.
The challenges of having league oversight of all 30 teams was acknowledged by Silver to employees. He said at one point that he believed the league's role was to have oversight over all 30 NBA teams.
The league could allow teams to operate with a measure of freedom, but also expect them to hold themselves to a certain standard. It's important for anyone associated with the NBA to have a safe workplace with responsible leaders and appropriate outlets to report any wrongdoing.
The law firm that the team used for the investigation did a good job, according to Silver. Some employees may be wondering why certain allegations were not included in the report. He said that the lawyers followed a process.
Garvin, who has been a minority owner since 2004, apologized to employees on behalf of the team's ownership group when the team was bought for a record amount of money. Everyone should be treated professionally according to Garvin.
The league was asked what measures it would put in place so that other NBA team employees wouldn't face the same issues as those in Phoenix. New processes, such as new reporting systems, and regular meetings with the heads of human resources for teams across the league are some of the new processes Silver mentioned.
Silver acknowledged that people might not want to call the NBA's confidential employee hotline, and that there needs to be other measures in place. One employee asked how employees could positively move forward after being frustrated by some of the team's initial public statements.
You need to talk about it. I think it's good.
Silver said that people can work through traumatic experiences if they are helped by professionals. It's their lifelong dream to work in the NBA and there is a level ofvulnerability in the league because positions are considered highly desirable and some may tolerate more than they would in another profession.
Silver said it was important to listen to people even though he didn't have any answers.
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