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LeBron James happy that Robert Sarver is selling Suns: 'Proud to be a part of a league committed to progress'

LeBron James was critical of the NBA's original punishment for Robert Sarver. But when the owner announced that he was selling the Suns, James welcomed the news.

The news of Robert Sarver putting the Phoenix Suns and Phoenix Mercury up for sale made LeBron James a happy man.

When the news broke that Sarver has begun his exit strategy from the NBA, James welcomed the news.

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"I'm so proud to be a part of a league committed to progress!" he tweeted on Wednesday.

The Lakers star wasn't thrilled with Sarver's original punishment, which was a $10 million fine and a suspension for this season, and James voiced his thoughts about it.

"Read through the Sarver stories a few times now. I gotta be honest…Our league definitely got this wrong," the four-time MVP tweeted last week. "I don’t need to explain why. Y’all read the stories and decide for yourself. I said it before and I’m gonna say it again, there is no place in this league for that kind of behavior.

"I love this league and I deeply respect our leadership. But this isn’t right. There is no place for misogyny, sexism, and racism in any work place. Don’t matter if you own the team or play for the team. We hold our league up as an example of our values and this aint it."

ROBERT SARVER TO BEGIN 'PROCESS OF SEEKING BUYERS' FOR SUNS, MERCURY AFTER NBA SUSPENSION

Suns guard Chris Paul, who was a star player on the Los Angeles Clippers in the midst of then-Clippers owner Donald Sterling's scandal, echoed James' original sentiments.

"Like many others, I reviewed the report," Paul also tweeted last week. "I was and am horrified and disappointed by what I read. This conduct especially towards women is unacceptable and must never be repeated.

"I am of the view that the sanctions fell short in truly addressing what we can all agree was atrocious behavior. My heart goes out to all of the people that were affected."

Sarver cited "our current unforgiving climate" as the reason he is selling the teams.

"As a man of faith, I believe in atonement and the path to forgiveness. I expected that the commissioner's one-year suspension would provide the time for me to focus, make amends and remove my personal controversy from the teams that I and so many fans love," he said in a statement. "But in our current unforgiving climate, it has become painfully clear that that is no longer possible — that whatever good I have done, or could still do, is outweighed by things I have said in the past."

The NBA found that Sarver used the N-word at least five times and "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."

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