The NBA on Tuesday announced a one-year suspension and $10 million fine of Phoenix Suns and Mercury owner Robert Sarver following a lengthy independent investigation into workplace misconduct allegations.

The league launched the investigation into Sarver following a November 2021 article published by ESPN's Baxter Holmes, whose interviews with more than 70 current and former Suns employees revealed a history of alleged "racially insensitive language," "misogynistic" behavior and other hostile workplace misconduct.

According to a statement from the league office, the investigation revealed three key findings:

•  Sarver, on at least five occasions during his tenure with the Suns/Mercury organization, repeated the N-word when recounting the statements of others.
• Sarver engaged in instances of inequitable conduct toward female employees, made many sex-related comments in the workplace, made inappropriate comments about the physical appearance of female employees and other women, and on several occasions engaged in inappropriate physical conduct toward male employees.
• Sarver engaged in demeaning and harsh treatment of employees, including by yelling and cursing at them.