The Knicks and Raptors have agreed to voluntarily dismiss a lawsuit filed by the Knicks in 2023, reports Baxter Holmes for ESPN.
The lawsuit alleged that former Knicks employee Ikechukwu Azotam “illegally took thousands of proprietary files with him to his new position” in Toronto at the behest of the Raptors, who looked to gain a competitive advantage.
“The Knicks and (Raptors ownership group) Maple Leaf Sports & Entertainment withdrew their respective claims and the matter is resolved. The Parties are focused on the future,” the two teams said in identical statements to ESPN.
The Knicks sought over $10MM in damages, while the Raptors filed a motion aimed at dismissing the charges and called upon league commissioner Adam Silver to adjudicate the proceedings. The Knicks then questioned Silver’s impartiality based on his close relationship with Raptors minority owner Larry Tanenbaum. In response, the Raptors accused the Knicks of dragging out the case for publicity and threatened to counter-sue.
Ultimately, a judge agreed with the Raptors that the matter should be resolved by Silver.
Along with Azotam and the Raptors organization, head coach Darko Rajakovic was listed as a defendant in the lawsuit, along with player development coach Noah Lewis and 10 unidentified employees.
Holmes notes that the case has now been voluntarily dismissed with prejudice, which means the decision is permanent.
I don’t like James Dolan and his crappy band
There was obviously some back room the deal the league made them both agree to so this could go away
Yup, Silver didn’t want this one to pile up with Pablo-esque storm that the CLIPPERS are facing.
Even a court of law agrees, that the NBA’s current by-laws are sufficient for Silver to mediate and resolve internal disputes/issues, even with just the smoking gun of impropriety …… no 3rd party law office needed.
Clippers aren’t facing nothing man.
I saw what you did there.
Dolan promised a Raptor show at The Sphere …..
Silver almost certainly threw Dolan a bone or two to drop the case. Last thing he wanted was to have to rule on this and either decide against his buddy (Tanenbaum) or looking like his stooge.