Judge Rules Adam Silver Settlement For Knicks Lawsuit

The New York Knicks' lawsuit against the Toronto Raptors appears headed to arbitration overseen by NBA commissioner Adam Silver.

Oct 28, 2019; Toronto, Ontario, CAN; A general view of the Toronto Raptors court logo before a game against the Orlando Magic at Scotiabank Arena. Mandatory Credit: Nick Turchiaro-USA TODAY Sports / Nick Turchiaro-USA TODAY Sports

A United States District Judge has called for a Silver solution to the New York Knicks' ongoing legal battle with the Toronto Raptors.

According to multiple reports, Judge Jessica G.L. Clarke of the Southern District of New York has ruled that the matter should be settled by NBA commissioner Adam Silver rather than be taken to court. The dispute stems from the alleged theft of confidential Knicks files by a former team employee that allegedly transferred the sensitive material to Toronto.

The Knicks had previously argued that Silver should remove himself from the proceedings due to his friendship with Larry Tanenbaum, the chairman of the Raptors' parent company, Maple Leaf Sports & Entertainment.

Mar 1, 2019; Toronto, Ontario, CAN; A general view of the Toronto Raptors logo at center court before the start of a game between the Raptors and the Portland Trail Blazers at Scotiabank Arena. Mandatory Credit: Tom Szczerbowski-USA TODAY Sports / Tom Szczerbowski-USA TODAY Sports

According to a report from Mike Vorkunov of The Athletic, Clarke said that attempting to remove Silver from the proceedings at this point of the process would "be akin to a complaint about the officiating before the game has even started.” The Knicks' side nonetheless intends to press forward on its current path.

"We were the victim of a theft of proprietary and confidential files in a clear violation of criminal and civil law and are continuing to evaluate our legal options," an MSG Sports spokesperson said of the developments. "We don’t think it’s appropriate for the Commissioner of the NBA to rule on a matter involving his boss, the Chairman of the NBA, and his team.”

The reaction predictably contrasted on the Toronto side. A Raptors spokesperson told Stefan Bondy of the New York Post that they were "pleased that the court agreed this should be resolved by the NBA, which we have maintained is the correct forum for disputes of this nature." For his part, Silver has not publicly commented on the lawsuit, saying that he "(did not) have a sense yet of how egregious it is" back in September.

Clarke's ruling did leave an opening for a return to court, reasoning it could do so if Silver declares himself unable to arbitrate.

It appears both sides have no issues keeping each other close: earlier this week, reports emerged that OG Anunoby and Immanuel Quickley, the headliners of a late December trade between the Atlantic Division rivals, would sign long-term extensions with their respective new side.

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