After getting off to a decent start to the 2015-16 NBA season—they were 6-4 after their first 10 games—the Suns have suddenly free-fallen and lost nine games in a row. And while some of those games have come against good teams like the Cavaliers, Spurs, and Thunder, Phoenix has also lost to the Nuggets, 76ers, and, most recently, the Lakers. Additionally, they’ve lost star guard Eric Bledsoe for the season to a knee injury, and forward Markieff Morris has been upset with the team ever since they traded his twin brother Marcus Morris to the Pistons in the offseason. It has led many NBA fans to wonder what in the world is going on in Phoenix. How did they go from looking like a team that might potentially make the playoffs…to a team that lost to the Sixers?
The Arizona Republicjust ran a piece on the Suns’ recent struggles and, in the piece, Phoenix owner Robert Sarver was asked to talk about why his team doesn’t seem to be coming together like they were expected to earlier this season. His answer for it? “It’s because of those damn millennials and their social media!” Er, or at least, that’s basically what his answer sounded like.
“I’m not sure it’s just the NBA,” he said. “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 things 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.”
If Sarver’s goal here was to explain why his team stinks right now, he didn’t do a great job. It seems like a lack of talent and a general unhappiness within the Suns’ organization—and not “millennial culture” or social media—are to blame. But if his goal was to piss off Markieff Morris further and make him want a trade even more than he already does, then mission accomplished!
The rest of the Suns’ season is going to be interesting for all the wrong reasons.
Send all complaints, compliments, and tips to sportstips@complex.com.
[via Yahoo! Sports]
