In September, Robert Sarver announced that he was selling the Phoenix Suns on the heels of a series of controversies. In December, it was announced that billionaire mortgage lender Mat Ishiba was preparing to buy the team. On Monday, the NBA reportedly approved the sale.
Shams Charania of The Athletic reported on Monday that the sale was approved. And while the sale wasn’t quite unanimous, no teams voted against the moves.
“Sources: The NBA Board of Governors has approved mortgage lender Mat Ishbia as the new governor of the Phoenix Suns. It was approved with vote of 29-0, with the Cleveland Cavaliers abstaining,” Charania tweeted.
Sources: The NBA Board of Governors has approved mortgage lender Mat Ishbia as the new governor of the Phoenix Suns. It was approved with vote of 29-0, with the Cleveland Cavaliers abstaining.
— Shams Charania (@ShamsCharania) February 7, 2023
The news was met with a lot of excitement and the general feeling that its a huge win for the Suns and their fans.
This is great fun. https://t.co/WvvB27e4u2
— Kevin Zimmerman (@KZimmermanAZ) February 7, 2023
Finally. https://t.co/RNSMuKcx2c pic.twitter.com/pDbuZ2jJC8
— Suns Uniform Tracker (@SunsUniTracker) February 7, 2023
Official! Now get KD. https://t.co/hKmpV1eFrb
— PHX Fans (@PHXFansAZ) February 7, 2023
A new era of Suns basketball begins @FOX10Phoenix https://t.co/d5Vzjtydzn
— Robby Baker (@RobbyBakerTV) February 7, 2023
Nah Dan Gilbert abstaining from vote is crazy lol. HUGE NEWS THOUGH https://t.co/qxityGW4cO
— Suns Report (@TheSunsReport) February 7, 2023
The fact that Cleveland’s Dan Gilbert was the lone owner who didn’t officially approve of the sale also generated a lot of attention — and it was likely not an accident. Gilbert and Ishbia have a longstanding rivalry in the business world, which will now apparently find its way onto NBA courts.
Is this a Rocket Mortgage beef? Please tell me this is a little bit of mortgage lender rivalry pettiness. https://t.co/Ku5s7csSsJ
— Derek Bodner (@DerekBodnerNBA) February 7, 2023
Even NBA owners get in on the petty. https://t.co/QTuYnkPVl8
— Jeff Zillgitt (@JeffZillgitt) February 7, 2023
Dan Gilbert abstained. Mortgage competitors now NBA rivals, too. https://t.co/shmEdAlNHm
— Chris Solari (@chrissolari) February 7, 2023
Dan Gilbert and Mat Ishbia are mortgage lending rivals. Now rival NBA owners too https://t.co/V8sO6o8PmE
— Espo (@Espo) February 7, 2023
https://twitter.com/DaveDuFourNBA/status/1622784734115008512
Dan Gilbert is to Mariah Carey as Mat Ishbia is to Jennifer Lopez. https://t.co/SxAVUE8CjA
— Sarah Kezele 🌵 (@SarahKezele) February 7, 2023
unanimous among owners who don’t use Comic Sans https://t.co/nhylEgz02Z pic.twitter.com/3avOdYrNJS
— Fabian Ardaya (@FabianArdaya) February 7, 2023
Ishbia is taking over one of the NBA’s best teams. Despite Sarver’s issues, the Suns had the best record in the NBA last season and reached the NBA Finals the season before. Him taking over should be a great day for the franchise. And if it gives the NBA another rivalry, that’s even better.
[Shams Charania on Twitter]
