The New York Knicks and the Toronto Raptors have formally ended their courtroom fight centered on claims of stolen scouting and analytics files, according to documents filed this week.
Both organizations, along with Maple Leaf Sports & Entertainment, jointly moved to dismiss the Knicks’ 2023 federal lawsuit that accused former Knicks employee Ikechukwu Azotam of downloading thousands of proprietary files before taking a new position with the Raptors. The filing states the case is dismissed “with prejudice,” preventing New York from pursuing the matter again.
Background of the Case
The Knicks sought more than $10 million in damages, alleging that Raptors head coach Darko Rajaković, player development coach Noah Lewis, and several unnamed Toronto staffers directed Azotam’s actions to gain a competitive edge.
Toronto denied any wrongdoing and asked the court to toss the suit, arguing that the dispute belonged under NBA Commissioner Adam Silver’s authority. New York countered, citing Silver’s close ties to Raptors minority owner Larry Tanenbaum as a potential conflict of interest. The Raptors responded by accusing the Knicks of prolonging the litigation for publicity and threatened a countersuit.
A judge ultimately sided with Toronto, ruling that league arbitration was the proper venue. Wednesday’s voluntary dismissal closes the matter entirely, ending one of the NBA’s more unusual off-court sagas between Atlantic Division rivals.
Source: Hoops Wire
