Getty Images
The New York Knicks and Toronto Raptors agreed to voluntarily dismiss a lawsuit alleging the Raptors stole thousands of confidential files from the Knicks, according to a court filing obtained by ESPN. The teams dismissed the suit with prejudice, permanently ending the legal dispute. The case was initially set to be settled this summer, nearly two years after the Knicks filed the suit in August 2023.
“The Knicks and [Raptors owner] Maple Leaf Sports & Entertainment withdrew their respective claims and the matter is resolved,” team spokespersons said to ESPN. “The Parties are focused on the future.”
The Knicks alleged in the 2023 lawsuit that the Raptors recruited Ikechukwu Azotam — who worked as the Knicks’ assistant video coordinator — and ordered him to send them confidential material including play frequency reports, a prep book for the 2022-23 season, video scouting files and opposition research. The team sought $10 million in damages.
Knicks offense already looks more dynamic under Mike Brown, which could make Jalen Brunson’s life a lot easier
Colin Ward-Henninger
The Knicks alleged that the Raptors, who had recently hired coach Darko Rajaković, “conspired to use Azotam’s position as a current Knicks insider to funnel proprietary information to the Raptors to help them organize, plan, and structure the new coaching and video operations staff.”
The Raptors in October 2023 filed a motion to dismiss, argued that the claims were “baseless” and said the information was…
..
