Suns owner Robert Sarver isn’t involved in the franchise’s day-to-day operations as he serves the one-year suspension handed down by the NBA in September. He’s also in the process of selling the team to billionaire Mat Ishbia, so it’s just a matter of time until he’s not part of the organization at all.
However, according to ESPN’s Brian Windhorst, Sarver will still likely have the final say on certain Suns roster moves before he surrenders control of the club.
As Windhorst explains, Ishbia’s purchase of the franchise is unlikely to receive official approval prior to this season’s February 9 trade deadline. Until Ishbia formally takes over, the guidelines regarding Sarver’s involvement with the team call for the longtime Suns owner to sign off on any deals involving a player whose salary is worth more than the NBA’s average player salary, sources tell ESPN.
The estimated average salary for the 2022-23 season is $10,792,000, while top Suns trade candidate Jae Crowder is earning just $10,183,800. But the provision calling for Sarver’s approval on a roster move involving a player earning more than the league average includes the associated luxury tax costs, according to Windhorst. Phoenix’s team salary is currently well into the tax.
While the specifics aren’t entirely clear, Windhorst says that just about any trade involving Crowder will require Sarver’s sign-off. Acting governor Sam Garvin still has the ability to approve smaller deals without Sarver’s involvement, but Crowder has long been considered the Sun most likely to be moved. The veteran forward has been away from the club all season as president of basketball operations James Jones attempts to find a suitable trade.
As Windhorst acknowledges, if the sale of the Suns is approaching the finish line by the time a trade is sent to ownership for approval, Ishbia could end up having a significant voice in the process, despite not technically being the controlling owner yet. After all, there would be little incentive for Sarver to veto a deal that the incoming owner is fine with, since Ishbia will be the one on the hook for the end-of-season luxury tax payments.
Still, Windhorst suggests that the Suns’ “ownership morass” has been a factor in the slow-moving Crowder process, since the front office has had to attempt to negotiate possible deals while not having any contact with the person who could ultimately make the final decision.
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