Phoenix Suns' owner Mat Ishbia is sued by minority stakeholders of the franchise for "refusing access to internal records".
Phoenix Suns' owner Mat Ishbia can't avoid spotlight for controversial reasons ever since he took over the franchise.
This time, Ishbia was sued by two minority stakeholders of the franchise, Andy Kohlberg and Scott Seldin.
Kohlberg and Seldin are 2 of 16 minority owners during the era of Robert Sarver as previous Suns' owner.
Ishbia, after assuming control of the organization, allegedly offered to buyout any of the 16 other partners, per Donnie Druin of Sports Illustrated. 14 did so, but two didn't, Kohlberg and Seldin.
Kohlberg and Seldin are worried about Ishbia's approach to minority stakeholders, and demand access to internal records that are currently blocked.
Along with base principles of transparency, they have questions about funding of WNBA's Phoenix Mercury's practice facility and Ishbia's side deal with other investors.
Suns swiftly answered with a statement of their own, sent to their legal representatives:
"Resorted to threatening baseless litigation and sensationalized press coverage as a means of intimidating and coercing [Ishbia] into unprincipled and unjustified buyout negotiations."
"That will not work. [Ishbia] will not be bullied by these sharp and abusive tactics."
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