An ESPN report suggests that Sarver belittles his employees.
The National Basketball Association has a new Donald Sterling problem on its hands. This time it is Phoenix Suns owner Robert Sarver who has been accused in an ESPN investigation of using racially insensitive language along with lewd talk. That seemingly echoes the former Los Angeles Clippers owner Sterling who was bounced from the league in 2014 by Commissioner Adam Silver. The NBA wants to know more.
“The allegations contained in today’s ESPN article are extremely serious, and we have directed the Wachtell Lipton law firm to commence a comprehensive investigation. The NBA and WNBA remain committed to providing a respectful and inclusive workplace for all employees. Once the investigation is completed, its findings will provide the basis for any league action.” Donald Sterling had a long rap sheet of racism going back to 1983. In 2006, Sterling was sued by the U. S. Department of Justice for housing discrimination after it was alleged that he refused to rent apartments in Beverly Hills and in LA’s Koreatown to black people and people with children. That case was settled in 2009. Sterling paid nearly $3 million but was not assigned any blame. The Elgin Baylor case was about basketball and the NBA had enough grounds to at least censure Sterling based on sworn testimony in court. Baylor, who was the Clippers general manager between 1986 and 2008 filed a wrongful termination against Sterling in 2009, claiming underpaid him and treated him “as a token because of his race” and age discrimination. Baylor testified that “(Sterling) wanted the team to be composed of ‘poor black boys from the South’ and a white head coach.” Baylor lost in court because the jury thought he was fired because the team was bad. NBA Commissioner David Stern never disciplined Sterling. Silver threw him out. Sarver is an NBA problem.
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