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Knicks Comment on Lawsuit Update

The NBA is in contact with the New York Knicks and Toronto Raptors amidst their long-running legal battle.

Geoff Magliocchetti

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-Imagn Images
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-Imagn Images / Tom Szczerbowski-Imagn Images
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The New York Knicks are dissatisfied with the NBA's pace when it comes to arbitration in their long-running lawsuit against the Toronto Raptors.

Per SNY insider Ian Begley, the NBA has reached out to both sides regarding the suit, which stems from the alleged theft of proprietary information by a former Knicks staffer now employed with Toronto. Begley called the contact the 'initial step toward potential arbitration" but the Knicks are dissatisfied with how long the league has been "sitting" on the case.

"The NBA has admitted to sitting on this serious theft of proprietary and confidential files for several months," an MSG Sports spokesperson said, per Begley. "The NBA has a clear conflict of interest and a lack of desire to see a fair outcome in this matter - which we've said all along."

The Knicks originally filed the suit in August 2023. Judge Jessica G.L. Clarke of the Southern District of New York ruled that arbitration, rather than a trial, was the path forward this past June. MSG has long argued against league-led arbitration in the case, citing commissioner Adam Silver's personal friendship with Larry Tanenbaum as a conflict of interest. Tanenbaum is the chairman of Raptors parent company, Maple Leaf Sports and Entertainment.

Begley's report comes less than a week after MSG Sports called out the league's inactivity on the case, once again referencing a conflict on interest.

"We’ve been waiting for any direction from the NBA on next steps in this matter for months — proving our point that the NBA is not capable of appropriately and fairly handling this serious theft of proprietary and confidential files," an MSG Sports spokesperson told Stefan Bondy of the New York Post. “Unfortunately, because of the clear conflict of interest between the Commissioner and the Chairman of the NBA, there has been complete silence from the league.”

Per Bondy, the NBA has schedule a hearing regarding the matter for late July 2025.

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Geoff Magliocchetti
GEOFF MAGLIOCCHETTI

Editor-In-Chief at All Knicks

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