Using a racial slur for Black people, treating women unequally and bullying staff cost Robert Sarver ownership of the Phoenix Suns.
At least five lawsuits filed in eight months allege that a discriminatory culture persists under new owner Mat Ishbia. Ishbia owns the Suns and their WNBA sister Mercury, which is the defendant in a case brought on July 2.
Each lawsuit against the Suns seeks a jury trial. Among the allegations are race and age discrimination, sexual harassment and retaliation.
The Suns have responded by pointing to plaintiffs’ lawyer Sheree Wright as having been disciplined by the state bar.
“As long as I'm doing the right thing, I could care what the noise says. Because everything will be proven in court,” Wright said.
In court documents, attorneys for the franchise deny allegations, have asked a judge to dismiss some of the claims and identified dozens of possible defenses.
A Suns request to seal records is pending in a lawsuit filed by a woman hired after an NBA order to improve diversity, equity and inclusion.
Wright and other attorneys represents five employees. Wright said she’s consulting with more people thinking of filing a case against the organization and she has referred some of them to other lawyers.
“There is so many people that have called and requested that we represent them. But I can only do so much,” Wright said.
The Suns have accused Wright of recruiting people to slander the organization, which she denies.
