Ex-Suns employee files discrimination, wrongful termination complaint against team

The Phoenix Suns have been sued by a former employee, Andrea Trischan, claiming discrimination and wrongful termination, reports ESPN's Baxter Holmes.

Trischan, who previously served as the Suns' program manager of diversity, equity and inclusion, is seeking $60 million in damages after filing a complaint with the U.S. Equal Employment Opportunity Commission and the Arizona Attorney General's office's civil rights division. The two bodies began investigating the matter in August 2024, according to a 25-page statement acquired by Holmes.

Trischan's attorney, Sheree Wright, claimed that her client "endured overt racist comments" during her nine-month stint with the franchise between Sept. 2022 and July 2023.

"Ms. Trischan filed a formal complaint...due to ongoing racial discrimination, harassment, and retaliation she experienced while employed with the Phoenix Suns," Wright wrote in an email to ESPN. "Specifically, Ms. Trischan endured overt racist comments and a hostile work environment that went unaddressed despite being reported to HR and executive leadership."

Trishan was hired by the Suns on Sept. 19, 2022, just six days after the NBA announced that then-Suns owner Robert Sarver had been suspended and fined following an NBA investigation into his conduct. Trishan was reportedly hired specifically to fix the work culture at the Suns organization. She continued to maintain the role after Sarver sold the franchise to billionaire Mat Ishbia in Dec. 2022.

Trishan was eventually fired in July 2023 after being placed on "a performance improvement plan" in late May 2023, per a statement issued to ESPN.

The Suns strongly refuted Trishan's claims to ESPN.

"A former employee who last worked for the organization in 2023 was terminated after less than 10 months due to repeated failure to perform her job duties," Suns and Mercury senior vice president of communications Stacey Mitch told ESPN. "This individual filed a baseless charge with a state agency and is now trying to use ESPN reporting from 2022, specific to previous ownership, to make egregious claims in order to support her ridiculous demand for $60 million from the Suns organization.

"To be clear, this individual is making false claims in an attempt to gain tens of millions of dollars. We are confident the courts will find no merit to these claims and quickly resolve this matter. The Phoenix Suns and Phoenix Mercury are creating a world-class organization for every employee. We will not let opportunists succeed in their attempts to manipulate the media and use years old reporting to seek financial gain."

The team reiterated it's confidence that a review will disprove Trishan's claims.

"The Suns continue to participate in the [Arizona Civil Rights Division] review in good faith. We are confident that after the ACRD completes its review of Ms. Trischan's charge, the ACRD will confirm that Ms. Trischan's claims are factually and legally baseless."

Trishan has until Nov. 13 to file a formal lawsuit against the Suns if she's unable to reach an out-of-court settlement. A statement to ESPN noted that Trischan's lawyers and the Suns are working with an outside law firm and have discussed mediation to settle the dispute.