NBA investigators to interview Phoenix Suns owner

The NBA’s team of lawyers investigating the Phoenix Suns is getting ready to interview owner Robert Sarver regarding allegations against him and the franchise, according to ESPN.

The attorneys are reported to have already talked to more than 300 people as part of the probe. The interviewees include former and current employees of the organization.

Misogyny and racism

The NBA launched the probe in November last year after Baxter Holmes of ESPN broke a story that described alleged incidents of sexual harassment and racism that have taken place within the organization since Sarver became owner of Phoenix in 2004.

Employees that were interviewed by ESPN reportedly said that Sarver and other members of the Suns management team exhibited behavior that made the work place toxic and hostile. Sarver denied the allegations.

The league announced it would launch an investigation, and directed the Wachtell Lipton law firm to lead the probe into the matter. The firm had previously looked into allegations against Los Angeles Clippers and Atlanta Hawks executives.

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NBA to take action after findings

“The NBA and WNBA remain committed to providing a respectful and inclusive workplace for employees. Once the investigation is completed, its findings will provide the basis for any league action,” said the league’s statement.

The lawyers asked the employees about the veracity of ESPN’s allegations. They confirmed a number of them and added some others. They also presented emails relevant to the investigation.

The Suns organization is said to have given the lawyers permission to go through internal emails and other company documents.

There has been no announcement of the timetable for completing the inquiry, with the lawyers saying they are still gathering facts. The NBA says the investigators will submit their findings when they wrap up the probe, according to Holmes.