Gene Traylor, the former director of safety, security and risk management for the Phoenix Suns, has filed a lawsuit against the team. So he filed a lawsuit in U.S. District Court in Arizona. Traylor claims his firing was in retaliation after he raised red flags about security protocols at the team’s new arena. He only became a member of the Suns recently, in January 2023. Instead, he was terminated from his job as a security operations manager for allegedly breaching company policies concerning proprietary information involving corporate security operations.
The Suns did the right thing by conducting their own investigation that reportedly found Traylor was deliberately dishonest in the investigation’s inquiry. In fact, his attorneys argue, the investigation was a cover for retaliatory action. They claim it was a result of his 2023 cap intro, where he brought some very valid security concerns to team leadership. House’s lawsuit, filed in mid-May, claims that the national organization did not do enough to remedy these concerns.
Traylor’s fears for the team’s security grew when the NBA surprised the team with a security audit of the new arena in February of 2025. He argues that this audit resulted in a disaster for the Suns. He portrayed these audits as regular inspections carried out at NBA arenas. The goal of all policies is to protect the health and safety of guests and employees.
In his short presentation, Traylor pointed to particular incidents. He felt that these incidents were jeopardizing the safety, financial well-being, and image of the growing franchise. Almost one year after raising his concerns, he was threatened with a demotion. This was the action that he says resulted in his eventual firing for the attention he sought to draw to dangerous conditions.
On December 17, 2023, the Phoenix Police Department’s Homeland Defense Bureau conducted a field test of the arena’s security during a game. These findings proved especially troubling since officers were able to carry weapons into the venue without being detected. On December 3, 2024, a re-screen revealed a major security violation. Apparently, two handguns and a knife had been successfully smuggled past security on this trip.
“Guest safety is our top priority. We continue to meet and exceed safety expectations. We regularly conduct security tests, which is standard across the industry. We have used these proactive measures to ensure we are operating at the highest level of safety and preparedness.” – Suns spokeswoman
Though incidents like these have occurred, the Suns insist that they are dedicated to fan safety and consistently run security drills. The organization has come under fire after failing numerous league-mandated security audits since 2024.
The short answer Traylor’s attorneys have openly maintained that the Suns’ story about why they fired him is wrong. They claim the agency is trying to distract from shocking allegations included in the suit.
“Neither Mr. Traylor nor his attorneys publicized his termination. The Suns’ attempt to deflect by pushing a false narrative is part of a pattern and a clear effort to shift focus away from the serious claims in this lawsuit. The so-called ‘independent investigation’ was a pretext and a convenient cover to justify a termination rooted in retaliation, not truth,” said Courtney Walters, Traylor’s attorney.
The Suns’ indirect answer to that question has been their insistence on following procedures—as would any team acting above board—when it comes to personnel matters.
“While the organization typically does not comment on internal personnel matters, Mr. Traylor, or his attorney, Sheree Wright, apparently opted to publicize his termination. Mr. Traylor was terminated from his position as a security manager because an independent, outside investigation concluded that he violated company policies with respect to confidential information about security operations and he was intentionally untruthful with the investigator,” said Stacey Mitch from the Suns’ legal team.
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