sport news Steph Curry reveals he spoke to NBA commissioner Adam Silver about Robert Sarver trends now
NBA star Steph Curry has revealed he talked to the league's commissioner Adam Silver over the punishment given to disgraced Phoenix Suns and Mercury owner Robert Sarver.
Sarver was handed a one-year ban and $10million fine by the NBA following a league investigation into racism, sexism and bullying allegations.
The NBA revealed it found that Sarver used the N-word on at least five occasions among other transgressions, including the use of language and conduct demeaning to female employees, over his nearly two-decade tenure as owner of the NBA's Suns and WNBA's Mercury.
'[I] got [Silver's] point of view of what decisions and, I guess, mechanisms he had to intervene and bring down a punishment that was worthy of the actions that we were all responding to and representing the league as a whole and protecting the integrity of the league and the standard that we set terms of from execs, ownership, all the way down to players,' the Golden State Warriors star told reporters Sunday.
'There should be a standard around what's tolerable and what's not.'
Golden State Warriors' Steph Curry (L) spoke privately with NBA commissioner Adam Silver (R)
The pair discussed the one-year ban and $10million fine given to club owner Robert Sarver
Sarver announced last week he wants to sell the Phoenix franchise and has started the process of giving up both the Suns and Mercury.
'I think the outcome was exactly what should have happened,' Curry added.
'Honestly, I thought with the punishment that was handed down, it would have dragged out a little longer, but I'm glad we got to a point where hopefully the team is up for sale sooner than later and can kind of move on knowing that's where it should be.'
The National Basketball Players Association (NBPA) called for Sarver to be banned for life. Executive director Tamika Tremaglio told ESPN she was speaking on behalf of NBA players in saying they were 'absolutely calling for' a lifetime ban.
While Suns minority owner Jahm Najafi had called on Sarver to resign and owner and Phoenix's jersey sponsor - PayPal - said they would not continue to sponsor the Suns if Sarver returned.
Los Angeles Lakers star James was among several NBA stars, including Chris Paul and Draymond Green, who slammed the one-year suspension with some calling for a lifetime ban.
In addition to saying the N-word, Sarver is also accused of using language and engaging in conduct demeaning to female employees, according to the NBA statement (pictured)
Sarver, a real estate developer reportedly worth $850m, denied or disputed nearly all of the claims in the original ESPN report last year. Earlier this month, he offered an apology (pictured)
A member of Sarver's own team, Phoenix Suns Guard Chris Paul, said he was left 'horrified and disappointed' by the report on Sarver's conduct as he slammed the NBA's sanctions as insufficient.
Paul took to Twitter to hit out at the sanctions, believing that Sarver should have faced a harsher punishment.
James hit out at the NBA for their handling of the situation as he insisted there is no place for 'that kind of behavior' in the league.
On Twitter he posted: 'Read through the Sarver stories a few times now. I gotta be honest… Our league definitely got this wrong. I don't need to explain why.
He posted: 'Like many others, I reviewed the report. I was and am horrified and disappointed by what I read. This conduct especially towards women is unacceptable and must never be repeated.
LeBron James insisted there is no place for 'that kind of behavior' in the league
'I am of the view that the sanctions fell short in truly
