Across the Valley, some fans celebrated after learning of Robert Sarver's announcement that he is preparing to sell the Suns and Mercury.
“Sarver sold the team, it's a statewide holiday,” said Nick Ptack, a realtor who organized a "Sarver Out Celebration" after the news broke on Wednesday.
"I was at the gym and screamed, three others around me all saw the news at the same time, it was like Christmas in September," said Ptack.
Sam Amico, a freelance writer for the NBA and creator of HoopsWire has reacted to the latest fallout surrounding Sarver and the workplace misconduct investigation that detailed Sarver's use of racial slurs and other demeaning comments towards his employees.
Once with Sports illustrated, Sam Amico is a freelance writer for the NBA. He now runs the site HoopsWire.Com.
Amico said all that could have kept free agents and front office staff from wanting to join the team. Especially after big names like CP3 and Lebron said the yearlong suspension and a $10M fine wasn't harsh enough.
Looking ahead, he says Sarver's successor has to want to create a culture change.
"It can't be someone with just money, it also has to be someone with a pretty clean and clear background,” said Amico.
A common name Amico feels could be a fit for the team Forbes valued at $1.8B, is former Disney CEO Bob Iger.
He helped ABC and ESPN strike the original rights deal with the NBA in 2003 and he's friends with Chris Paul from Paul's time with the Clippers.
"(Iger) expressed before, he may have an interest in buying the suns, you heard Robert Sarver shoot down those rumors, saying this team is not for sale, shortly there after the story was uncovered by ESPN,” he said.
Other names floated by fans at the ‘Sarver Out Celebration’ included Amazon’s Jeff Bezos. Amico said a sports group could be fitting, even former players like Kevin Garnett.
Amico says the Suns will have "no shortage" of high-level ownership candidates. But add that decision won't be anytime soon.
“We're probably looking at the winter or at least the spring before a sale can be at least a agreed upon and be finalized next summer,”
