The Suns Media Day was the SADDEST Marc J. Spears has ever attended | NBA Today

Welcome back to MBA

today

. I'm Malika Andrews and I'm in New Orleans, where I just sat down with Zion Williamson. We'll bring you our exclusive interview with Williamson shortly, but let's get to the Suns, his

media

day continues and, like you. You can imagine that Robert Sarver has been a topic of conversation. Remember that Sarver announced last week that he has begun the process of selling both Mercury and Soles. When you look at the findings of this process that we've gone through, you realize that we just did it. not living up to a standard of excellence, those behaviors not only in sport but also in society in general, are behaviors that are unacceptable and we have to hold ourselves to a higher standard and we have to protect those who cannot protect themselves themselves that way. um our focus this year is to continue the progress we've made as an organization um continue to live Our winning behaviors respect resilience and support and I'm grateful that our players and

ever

yone involved can feel good about the As a result, there was a bit of shock, there was a moment where I was in disbelief when you see the points and then when you look at them you start to think about how these things impacted people, how will it affect our team? community organizing and then James, Morgan and I had a lot of conversations about you know how do we handle this deal in a way that is productive but also understanding towards those who have been affected by all of this, just a series of emotions. in reference to that word um, I don't like it, I n

ever

have liked it, especially when I was younger and learned what that word meant.

I learned how degrading it was to humanity, not just black people, and when I saw the report I was not happy. Frankly, I am disgusted, it is not a word that you repeat at any time and when you read the report and you read the points and you see it over and over again that way, it bothers you, at the same time, I know that there is a different generation. You know, among young people who are 20 or 30 years younger than me and who have a different perspective on that word, it has become a socially accepted word.

I don't think it's something we should bow down to and when you encounter situations like this. You realize why, because the word is degrading in every way, it was difficult, like anyone you know, to read all the different things about the n-word and uh, but it was harder also the things that people have to endure in the workplace. You know, reading it all was difficult, probably like anyone else for me. I read it. I read it all. The full report and, like I said, it bothered me, but now we have to move on. You know it's hard for me because you know that's not the cyber Robert that I know, that's not the thief, sorry, that welcomed me in Phoenix, who woke up with open arms, but at the same time I'm not, you know, insensitive to everyone involved.

In this situation, you know and understand that everyone's personal experience with other people will always be different, and it will be difficult to read because that is not the person I know. To learn more about them, I was joined by senior writer and skateboarder Mark Spears, who was in Phoenix at this time, and Mark, you were there when the players and executives spoke for the first time since Sarver announced he was starting this sales process. What caught your attention in the first place, Malika. I've been covering the NBA since '99. I've been to a lot of these

media

days and this was the harshest,

saddest

media day I've ever been to, it felt more like a funeral, you know, I talked to DeAndre a little bit.

Ayton and told me there was a cloud hanging. about the franchise, you know, I asked him to explain that a little more and he said he feels bad for the people you know, Aiden, he went to high school here, he played at Arizona, he was selected by his kids as a book in the that has been here. for a long time and it's close to the city and he just likes people, he feels hurt by people and those who were affected by this, so you know a lot of things happen to children even along with this, uh.

You know Jay Crowder wants out, they had a horrible end at the end of the regular season. DeAndre Ayton still seems a little bitter about his contract situation, how it was handled, so you know there's a lot going on in Phoenix, but in terms of Robert Sarver. situation, even the only laugh that came out someone asked Monty Williams in the first question like do you know how your summer was and he said okay, is that only a Segway like he was Monty was ready for the elephant in the room that was ready to talk about Sovereign and get his emotions out of his body, so yeah, this is definitely a sad day for the sun organization, but it seems like they're hopeful that they can move on after

today

, both for that perspective and Brian Windhorst. also in Phoenix and will join us in the next hour for much more on the Suns.

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