The nightmarish Robert Sarver scandal that rocked the Phoenix Suns is on its last legs, after the disgraced owner announced the decision to put the NBA team, along with the Phoenix Mercury, up for sale. Adam Silver still made sure to address the issue head-on with those who were directly involved from within the organization.

According to ESPN's Baxter Holmes, Silver reportedly had gathered the Suns employees in order to speak on the NBA's shortcomings when it came to preventing such an environment to fester from within.

Via ESPN:

“‘I'm incredibly empathetic to what many of you have lived through,' Silver said to a group of hundreds of employees, including some team executives and the team's interim governor, Sam Garvin, who all gathered in the lower bowl of the team's arena hours before the game.

During a nearly hourlong address, Silver, sitting on a stool and holding a microphone, added, in part, “To the extent that you feel let down by the league, I apologize. I take responsibility for that.”

When questioned about whether the NBA was aware of some of the transgressions committed by Robert Sarver before the ball dropped, Adam Silver made it clear – the answer was no.

“Did I hear ever that Robert could be difficult to deal with? Sure,” Silver told employees. “But that's very different than conduct which is viewed as discriminatory in any way.”

Silver referred to what happened to the Suns as a “failure of an overall system” and something the league should have found away to catch wind of before it developed the way that it did.

The Suns are at the homestretch in trying to get past the Sarver saga. But it's clear its effects will still linger, with Silver and the NBA needing to do more in terms of ensuring it doesn't happen again.