"You don't mess with James Brown, you don't mess with Jeff Bezos" - Shaquille O'Neal believes the Phoenix Suns have solid contenders for new ownership, says he's not a probable in the buyer's list

The Phoenix Suns have been going through a difficult situation. This month, reports revealed that owner Robert Sarver had used racist terminology on more than one occasion. In addition to his use of racial slurs, instances of Sarver being misogynistic surfaced. The situation has prompted the owner to announce he plans to sell the team.

Many wonder if NBA Hall of Famer Shaquille O'Neal would be interested in becoming an NBA owner. With dozens of investments and businesses to his name, O'Neal's esteem as a businessman seemingly makes him a great candidate.

Despite that, Big Diesel doesn't appear to have any intentions of taking ownership of an NBA team. On a recent episode of "The Big Podcast," Shaq commented on the possible purchase of the team.

"I was open until I saw the initials JB," O'Neal said. "Let me tell you something, you don't mess with James Brown, you don't mess with Jeff Bezos. When them boys come on stage, get your ass and go. So, Jeff said he wants it and a couple of other heavy hitters said they want it. I'm not even gonna put my name in the bucket on this one."

Right now, there's quite a laundry list of high-profile names in the running to take ownership of the franchise. Some names jump out more than others. It seems likely the franchise will quickly find a new owner.

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There's no shortage of potential high-profile names in the running for the Phoenix Suns ownership. At the time of writing, former Disney CEO Bob Iger is currently the statistical favorite to buy the team. The outspoken businessman, who was reportedly once interested in running for president, sits as a +125 favorite to purchase the team.

As O'Neal mentioned, Amazon tycoon Jeff Bezos himself could pursue ownership of the Suns. He is in second place as a +350 favorite to purchase the franchise. Bezos is without question one of the most high-profile names in the running.

Another name that stands out is controversial billionaire Elon Musk. The PayPal co-founder and Tesla owner currently sits as a +650 favorite, tying him for third place with Arturo Moreno.

With the upcoming NBA season rapidly approaching, only time will tell when Sarver's 35% stake in the Phoenix Suns officially sells.