Robert Sarver was virtually forced to sell the Phoenix Suns after his workplace scandals and the sale ultimately netted him a pretty penny. The sale with mortgage mogul Mat Ishbia valued the team at a $4 billion valuation with a huge chunk of that total going straight to Sarver's pocket. That isn't sitting well with former Suns icon Charles Barkley.
In a recent tirade on Inside the NBA, the former league MVP called the entire ordeal unjust given that what was supposed to be punishment has seemingly turned into a blessing in disguise for Robert Sarver.
โThat's not fair. That ain't right,โ said Barkley of Robert Sarver benefitting from the Suns sale. โHe paid $400 million for that team. I don't know the guy โฆ but for him to pay $400 million for a team, do really, really bad things behind the scenes and they force him to sell it, and he gets $4 billion? I want that deal. There's not a single person in the world not like, โwait a minute, where's the punishment?'
โI got a business. It was worth $400 million and I was harassing women and being racist at work. And they're like, โWell, we don't want you here no more. We're going to give you $4 billion.' I love the NBA. It's given me every single thing in my life. But this is not right, man. This is not right, period.โ
"I love the NBA, it's given me every single thing in my life, but this is not right man. This is not right. Period."
Charles Barkley on Robert Sarver getting $4 billion after selling the Phoenix Suns pic.twitter.com/BdfQWInmhF
โ ๐๐๐ฅ๐ค๐ข๐ง' ๐๐๐ (@_Talkin_NBA) December 21, 2022
From a karmic standpoint, Charles Barkley certainly has a point in that it just doesn't sit right for Robert Sarver to come out as a winner in a sense after being pushed to sell the Suns.
But in reality, it was truly the best that the league could do. They couldn't possibly take away his ownership stake without allowing him to gain compensation. The only leverage they did have was forcing him out of the exclusive club of NBA owners who have a front-row seat, both literally and figuratively, to the NBA.
If the allegations were all true, does Sarver deserve to be celebrated as a human being? Nope. But is he a savvy investor for his purchase of the Suns? Definitely.