Phoenix Suns owner Robert Sarver attributed his club’s ongoing struggles to the inability of “millennial culture” to deal with problems.
The US financier specifically called out Markieff Morris, who was fined $10,000 in September for publicly demanding a trade when twin brother Marcus Morris was traded to the Detroit Pistons. Last month, the power forward was hit with a two-game suspension for throwing a towel at Suns coach Jeff Hornacek.
“I’m not sure it’s just the NBA,” Sarver told the Arizona Republic. “My whole view of the millennial culture is that they have a tough time dealing with setbacks, and Markieff Morris is the perfect example. He had a setback with his brother in the offseason and he can’t seem to recover from it.
“I’m not sure if it’s the technology or the instant gratification of being online. But the other thing is, I’m not a fan of social media. I tell my kids it’s like Fantasy Land. The only thing people put online are good things that happen to them, or things they make up. And it creates unrealistic expectations. We’ve had a number of setbacks this year that have taken their toll on us, and we haven’t been resilient. Therefore, it’s up to our entire organization to step up their game.”
Sarver was reached overseas while attempting to finalize the purchase of Real Club Deportivo Mallorca in Spain’s Segunda Division after a pair of failed takeover bids for Rangers last year.
The Suns are second from bottom in the NBA’s Western Conference with a record of 12-25, ahead of only the moribund Los Angeles Lakers. Morris’s statistical averages are down across the board after averaging a career-high 15.3 points, 6.2 rebounds and 3.2 assists in 82 games last year.
“The reality is, there’s only a half-dozen championship-caliber organizations in the NBA over the last 25 years,” Sarver said. “My job is to find the right people and the right culture to eventually be one of those organizations, and it starts with me. I’m not shirking responsibility.”
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