Some Perspective: Inside Robert Sarver's Finances

[bwgood77]

I think the biggest problem is that player salaries have just gotten out of control. That is why the luxury tax is necessary...to try and control these costs or the big market teams would REALLY have an advantage.

Actually even a bigger problem is guaranteed contracts...that has really just dropped the overall level of play as many players just don't play as hard after they get that big contract and then it cash straps teams with all these subpar players that are no longer worth their contracts (if they even were in the first place).

[treis]

I think you guys are being a bit too harsh on Sarver. He OKed the Shaq trade, which added 20 million in salary for next year. He's OKed salary beyond hte luxury tax for a couple years in the past. The problem is that the Suns are 8th in the league for salary, and not in contention for a title. For a small market team, the Suns have spent a decent amount of money. They just aren't competitive for a title anymore, and it's time to cut costs.

[WTFsunsFTW]

We are NOT a small market team. Phoenix is the 14th biggest media market in the country, not even basing it on basketball cities. They climb every year.

The 20mil he added in shaq SAVED money last year AND this year. We will need a center next year, and who brings in more money to a team than shaq at the 5?

He has sold draft picks and players for straight up cash for multiple seasons in a row.

He hasnt spent much money at ALL, since he bought a team that was predetermined to cost a lot of money. He knew the costs before getting into it. The money he DID spend (Banks, Diaw) has been shipped out.

We are 8th in the league for salary and are one of 16 teams going to the playoffs. We arent in contention for the title because we hired a cheap coach who has failed miserably. It's their own fault they arent competitive, they put an inadequate coach in charge of the most talent-laden team in the league.

"Too harsh" is simply wrong. I appreciate seeing all sides of an argument, but being false is not one of them.

[mkot]

They just aren't competitive for a title anymore, and it's time to cut costs.

$arver's been cutting costs since the 05-06 season.

[treis]

So that explains the 8th highest payroll in the league and taking on Shaqs deal.

[treis]

We are NOT a small market team. Phoenix is the 14th biggest media market in the country, not even basing it on basketball cities. They climb every year.

Yes, but that doesn't account for basketball popularity. Despite having one of the most successful and exciting teams over the last few years, Pheonix has been middle of the pack in attendance. I guess small market is too much, how about middle market? The point is that they aren't rolling in cash and they've maintained a high payroll.

The 20mil he added in shaq SAVED money last year AND this year. We will need a center next year, and who brings in more money to a team than shaq at the 5?

He saved a couple million per year, which is nothing compared to the 20 million extra in Shaq's contract.

He has sold draft picks and players for straight up cash for multiple seasons in a row.

Indeed, but the payroll has been kept high. Compare that to the Bulls not signing their first rounder during the dynasty days and you will find a whole new meaning of a cheap owner.

He hasnt spent much money at ALL, since he bought a team that was predetermined to cost a lot of money. He knew the costs before getting into it. The money he DID spend (Banks, Diaw) has been shipped out.

Shipping out banks cost them more money, and the Diaw trade netted them 4.5 mil, but they lost a year of a player. That probably should be considered a money neutral trade.

[garrick]

http://sports.yahoo.com/nba/news;_ylt=AkJ_Ht3kMh3Mi_rjJxdg6dm8vLYF?slug=aw-sunstrades021109&prov=yhoo&type=lgns
Sarver again undermining his teams credibility.

As Phoenix Suns owner Robert Sarver reaches out to other NBA owners and proposes his own trade deals for Amare Stoudemire, he could be undermining his franchise’s chance to get the best possible package for the All-Star forward, league sources said.

NBA executives say that Sarver has contacted team owners – including those of the Sacramento Kings and Memphis Grizzlies – in an attempt to broker a deal for Stoudemire. While the Suns’ basketball executives are discussing one possible package with teams, Sarver has, at times, appeared to be pursuing his own agenda.

Some teams believe this is a circumstance they can exploit, and suggest that Suns GM Steve Kerr and David Griffin, the franchise’s VP of basketball operations, have been compromised.

“It makes [the owner] look too motivated,” said one Western Conference GM who was aware of Sarver’s calls. “It makes them look desperate.”

As an Eastern Conference GM wondered: “What in the world are two owners going to come up with that the GMs haven’t already discussed?

“This is how bad deals happen.”

“As managing partner of the Suns, no difference from any CEO responsible for any company, you have responsibility for the ultimate results of an organization,” Sarver said by phone Wednesday morning. “And as such, when it comes to major decisions – basketball or business – I will become heavily involved just as I have been the last five years.”

[TASTIC]

^This is old, was posted this morning on Yahoo....

[JohnVancouver]

http://www.brightsideofthesun.com/2009/2/10/755509/money-money-money

246 million dollar loss? Kinda makes it a bit more understandable why the dude is trying to shed some salary.

With that being said, I can't say I like the guy.

--- It is a huge amount of equity to lose, but he didn't lose it on the Suns and he's not going to make it back from them either, no matter how he guts the team. You don't recover losses from one business by tearing down another. The Suns have been profitable for the last four years - yeah, I've read Sarvers Hollywood math version that they lose money but that's adding in writedowns of debt, which is just fun-with-numbers.
I do appreciate he may want to be more cautious about expenses in the current climate, as they say, but devaluing the franchise seems foolish.

[Biff]

This is the last season players are going to get huge contracts. Bank on it. The economy is only going to get worse. You're going to see major contract restructuring next season.

And if the players refuse then there's going to be a lockout.

[TASTIC]

^True. How dumb does Marion look for not accepting what was it - $60m over 4 years? And how smart does management look...oh wait...

[tsherkin]

Just to add to this thread...

Read this and weep...

[rsavaj]

Just to add to this thread...

Read this and weep...

Same story as mine cept the figure's been updated to 253 mill. lol not a good time to be a banker right now

[tsherkin]

I kind of hope Sarver gets put in the poor house so he can't afford to screw over Phoenix any further, selling the team to recoup a few hundred mil.

[Biff]

I honestly wouldn't mind seeing these guys make a little less money. It's borderline unethical how much moviestars/rockstars/athletes make. You got kids 40,000 kids a day dying of poverty related issues and then you have egotistical pricks making millions. If bankers get a cap on their salary as Obama is proposing, so should everyone else. There's absolutely no good reason for anyone to make that kind of money while kids are starving to death.

[rsavaj]

I honestly wouldn't mind seeing these guys make a little less money. It's borderline unethical how much moviestars/rockstars/athletes make. You got kids 40,000 kids a day dying of poverty related issues and then you have egotistical pricks making millions. If bankers get a cap on their salary as Obama is proposing, so should everyone else. There's absolutely no good reason for anyone to make that kind of money while kids are starving to death.

a hell of a lot more than that