Ex-Suns employees released from NDAs to participate in investigation into team, owner Robert Sarver
Former Phoenix Suns employees have been released from any nondisclosure agreements and have started participating and scheduling interviews to participate with the NBA’s investigation into the organization and owner Robert Sarver, according to ESPN’s Baxter Holmes.
The former employees who did sign NDAs have been released from them only partially, just so that they can speak freely to investigators. Those NDAs are still in effect elsewhere.
Several interviews with the law firm Wachtell Lipton have already taken place, per the report. Many employees told ESPN that they had “extensive notes” and lists prepared.
The NBA launched an investigation into the Suns, the WNBA’s Phoenix Mercury and Sarver last month after an ESPN report detailed allegations of racism, misogyny and other workplace misconduct during his 17-year tenure with the organization. Among other things, Sarver has been accused of using the N-word, discussing sexually explicit activities or topics in the office, interfering in on-court affairs, going on verbal tirades and once ordering his players to “take out” Vince Carter during a game.
Sarver denied the allegations before ESPN’s story was released.
Since the report dropped, Sarver’s wife Penny reportedly sent ex-Suns employees threatening or intimidating messages. A video of Sarver speaking at a posthumous “roast” of a minority owner earlier this year surfaced, too, in which he made several inappropriate jokes.
During the investigation, per ESPN, employees will be granted full confidentiality and anonymity. So far, questions have been focused on Sarver’s behavior. There is no timeline for the investigation.