The dispute between Suns owner Mat Ishbia and two minority owners is headed to binding mediation, according to The Athletic’s Mike Vorkunov, citing a document filed Monday in Delaware state court.
They have asked the judge overseeing their case to approve an order that will allow them to resolve their case via mediation. They have made an agreement “to participate in a confidential binding mediation process, which upon completion will result in the dismissal of the action.”
Andy Kohlberg and Scott Seldin, longtime Suns and Phoenix Mercury minority owners, accused Ishbia in a lawsuit last August of lacking transparency in how he ran the organization and of using the franchises as his own “piggy bank.” Ishbia countersued in October, claiming Kohlberg and Seldin were looking to use their lawsuits to gain a large buyout of their stakes in the teams and called it “extortionate.”
Here’s more on the Suns:
- With 15 games remaining, Phoenix (39-28) has the third-toughest remaining schedule, Duane Rankin of the Arizona Republic points out. That will complicate its efforts of getting out of the play-in tournament and garnering a top six seed. The Suns are currently seventh in the West and will complete a rugged six-game road trip with games against Boston, Minnesota and San Antonio over the next four nights. “Every game is super important,”guard Collin Gillespie said. “We’ve got to take it one game at a time. Can’t have mental lapses or the little details slip, and we know we’re fighting for something every game. Every time we step on the floor, it’s an important game. We can’t let these opportunities slip, especially in the West.”
- They did let one slip away on Friday, falling to Toronto. That ended a four-game winning streak. “Last game, we had some slip-ups we can definitely control on the defensive end,” forward Royce O’Neale told Rankin. “Communicate a little better. Feel like our communication got to be on point, especially going into these last couple of games of the road trip.”
- Three games after he scored 24 points against Charlotte, Gillespie laid a goose egg against the Raptors. He only attempted three shots in 26 minutes. He had just four points in 28 minutes against Indiana on Thursday. Gillespie said he has to keep working at getting open looks. “Find those opportunities, hunting 3s,” Gillespie told Rankin. “Being ready to catch-and-shoot knowing that those guys are back. More on-ball stuff might not be available as much, but being ready to catch-and-shoot off the ball.” Gillespie is one of the league’s biggest bargains. He signed a one-year, minimum deal last summer and is averaging 13.2 points per game. He’ll be an unrestricted free agent this summer.