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The legal dispute between the New York Knicks and the Toronto Raptors over alleged proprietary theft is set to be addressed in an arbitration hearing during the week of July 21. The NBA will oversee the proceedings, which center on accusations that former Knicks video department employee Ike Azotam transferred confidential team information to the Raptors, with Toronto head coach Darko Rajaković also named in the case.
The Knicks initially filed suit in August 2023, but the matter was redirected to arbitration after a New York judge ruled that NBA Commissioner Adam Silver would oversee the process. This decision drew criticism from the Knicks’ representatives, who raised concerns about Silver’s longstanding relationship with Larry Tanenbaum, chairman of Maple Leaf Sports and Entertainment, the Raptors’ parent company.
A spokesperson for MSG Sports expressed skepticism about the arbitration process, stating that the NBA had shown little inclination to address the alleged misappropriation of proprietary information. The spokesperson further noted that despite a court order requiring the NBA to schedule a hearing, action was only taken after a joint status report was filed in December—18 months after the initial complaint.
Despite the ongoing legal proceedings, the Knicks and Raptors remained active trading partners, executing a major player exchange in December 2023 that involved Precious Achiuwa, OG Anunoby, RJ Barrett, and Immanuel Quickley.
Commenting on the motivations behind such litigation, Tampa-based attorney and proprietary legal expert Kevin C. Paule noted, “There are a few different reasons for filing a lawsuit like this, the first being an effort to shut it down, for lack of a better term. The goal is to prevent others from using proprietary information to gain a competitive advantage. Clearly, the plaintiffs believe that what was taken holds considerable value to them.”
