Follow usThe New York Knicks’ lawsuit against the Toronto Raptors, which accused the Raptors of employing a “mole” to obtain confidential material, should be resolved by the NBA rather than the courts, a federal judge in New York ruled on Friday. The lawsuit, filed last August, alleged that former Knicks assistant Ikechukwu Azotam stole thousands of proprietary files and shared them with the Raptors.
A New York judge has granted the Raptors’ motion to compel arbitration in their ongoing lawsuit with the Knicks, according to a court filing Friday that was obtained by ESPN. NBA Commissioner Adam Silver will determine if this case is arbitrable.
— Baxter Holmes (@Baxter) June 28, 2024
U.S. District Judge Jessica Clarke did not address the merits of the case but agreed with the Raptors’ request to compel arbitration. She cited the NBA Constitution, which grants NBA Commissioner Adam Silver exclusive jurisdiction over disputes between teams.
A Raptors spokesperson expressed satisfaction with the ruling, stating that resolving the issue within the NBA was the appropriate course of action and hoped it would lead to a resolution.
The Knicks, however, were unhappy with the decision. They argued that they were victims of theft and are considering their legal options. They also raised concerns about the impartiality of Commissioner Silver, given his relationship with Larry Tanenbaum, the chairman of both the NBA Board of Governors and Maple Leaf Sports and Entertainment, which owns the Raptors.
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