Suns president, CEO Jason Rowley leaves team

PHOENIX (AP) — Phoenix Suns president and CEO Jason Rowley hasdecided to leave the team as the franchise moves forward withleadership changes, according to a person familiar with thedetails.

The personspoke to The Associated Press on condition of anonymity becauseRowley’s resignation was not shared outside of theorganization.

The personsaid Rowley’s departure was “shared internally” within the Sunsorganization on Monday. ESPN first reported the news, sayingemployees were notified in an internal email from Suns interimgovernor Sam Garvin.

Rowley’sresignation comes in the midst of big changes in Phoenix. Mortgageexecutive Mat Ishbia is expected to be the team’s new majorityowner in the near future if the NBA’s board of governors approveshis plan to purchase the controlling stake of the Suns and WNBA’sPhoenix Mercury from embattled owner Robert Sarver.

The43-year-old Ishbia agreed on Dec. 20 to the deal, one that put thetotal value of the Suns and Mercury at $4 billion.

The NBAsuspended Sarver in September for one year, plus fined him $10million, after an investigation found he had engaged in what theleague called “workplace misconduct and organizationaldeficiencies.”

Sarver’ssuspension came nearly a year after the NBA asked a law firm toinvestigate allegations that Sarver had a history of racist,misogynistic and hostile incidents over his nearly two-decadetenure overseeing the franchise.

Shortlyafterward, Sarver announced he would be looking to sell the Sunsand the Mercury.