The Phoenix Suns and Phoenix Mercury are up for sale after Robert Saver put them on the market following an investigation that showed Saver fostered a hostile work environment. Naturally, there have been plenty of rumors about who the next owner could be and, to the delight of many associated with the NBA, former U.S. President Barack Obama's name has been tossed around.
During a podcast earlier this week, Charles Barkley told The Ringer's Bill Simmons that he wasn't too interested in buying the Suns because of the high price tag -- which ESPN reported could be a record sales price. However, he said he would consider joining the next ownership group if Obama called him. Simmons then said he'd heard something that could be of interest to Barkley.
"I'm probably breaking some news here, but I heard Obama's involved in one of the groups," Simmons said on The Bill Simmons Podcast. "And that's the one guy that I feel like they would make him the actual face (of the group), and the money guys would be so happy."
Barkley, who had some of his best NBA years playing for the Suns in the '90s, said he wouldn't have to think twice about it if that became true.
"If Obama called me, hell yeah I'm buying in," Barkley said "I got so much love and admiration for that guy."
Barkley is not the only one who likes the idea of Obama being associated with the franchise. At Thursday's media availability, Suns head coach Monty Williams was asked about his thoughts on the former president potentially being part of his team's ownership group.
"I don't tend to make comments about speculation, but I think anybody would value a partnership with someone like that," Williams said. "For me, as an African-American, even though you may have differences of opinions on certain views politically, whatever that looks like, someone that's been through those kinds of experiences from a leadership standpoint, I would love to just pick his brain and just sit and listen for hours about life and decisions and things like that. So, I've heard that, also, but it's hard to speculate on that, cause I'm so locked in on the season."
