ESPN: Wife of Robert Sarver messages former Suns employees, accuses them of lying
Nov 9, 2021, 4:17 PM
Robert Sarver (C), owner of the Phoenix Suns, and wife Penny watch the final moments of the NBA game against the Milwaukee Bucks at Talking Stick Resort Arena on March 04, 2019 in Phoenix, Arizona. The Suns defeated the Bucks 114-105. (Photo by Christian Petersen/Getty Images)
(Photo by Christian Petersen/Getty Images)
ESPN’s Baxter Holmes, who published the report on allegations of a sometimes toxic workplace with the Phoenix Suns and racist and misogynistic comments by owner Robert Sarver, reported on Tuesday that Penny Sarver, Robert’s wife, contacted former employees of the team following the release of the original report.
In the messages to three different former employees, Sarver accuses the employees of lying in the report, messages that she confirmed to Holmes were sent by her.
“This is Penny Sarver,” one message began. “I know a lot of bridges were burned between you and Robert and you are very bitter. I want to remind you that real lives are at stake here.”
Later, the message added, “Please put your hatred aside and realize the hurt you are causing by spreading lies and fabrications. Is your time in the spotlight that important? If something happens to one of my children, I will hold you and Earl Watson personally responsible. Think about your own child for a second and imagine the tables turned.”
Sarver has three children and claimed in one message that the report has destroyed her family.
A second former employee received a message that began, “I am so terribly saddened that you would say such untrue things about my husband. Your interpretation of what happened is so far from the truth. You are crushing my families [sic] lives. Thanks for that.”
A third former employee said their message began, “You are such a liar. In your trying to destroy my husband with [your] lies — you have destroyed my family and children.”
The messages from Sarver come as the NBA’s investigation into the organization is underway.
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One of the former employees told Holmes they didn’t “know how to interpret it other than as a threat” while Sarver denies it was done as an act of intimidation.
“Any suggestion that I tried to ‘intimidate’ anyone is as silly as it is wrong and outrageous,” she told Holmes.
Another former employee said the message from Sarver they described as unsettling further encouraged them to seek out the NBA’s investigators.
The report from Thursday that sourced over 70 former and current Suns employees was followed by statements from Robert Sarver and president and CEO Jason Rowley that denied the majority of the story.
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