Report: Ishbia expected to complete Suns purchase before trade deadline

Billionaire Mat Ishbia's purchase of a majority stake in the Phoenix Suns and Phoenix Mercury is expected to become official in the next two weeks, sources told ESPN's Baxter Holmes and Adrian Wojnarowski.

It's anticipated that Ishbia will take control over the Suns prior to the Feb. 9 NBA trade deadline, per Holmes and Wojnarowski.

The NBA's Board of Governors is reportedly expected to approve Ishbia's purchase with a vote in early February.

Ishbia can approve any transaction once his acquisition of the team becomes official. He's expected to be a hands-on owner in regard to team building, sources told Holmes and Wojnarowski.

Until Ishbia officially takes over the team, former Suns majority owner Robert Sarver still retains the final say over any signing, acquisition, or trade of a player with a salary in excess of the league-wide average salary, per Holmes and Wojnarowski.

After a 10-month investigation, Sarver was fined $10 million and suspended by the league in September 2021 due to inappropriate conduct as owner. He later announced that he'd sell the team following public pressure from NBA players and the players' union.