Knicks-Raptors end legal battle two years after New York sued for $10m over espionage claims

The New York Knicks and Toronto Raptors have agreed to dismiss a $10million lawsuit over propriety information following a two-year legal battle.

'The Knicks and [Raptors owner] Maple Leaf Sports & Entertainment withdrew their respective claims and the matter is resolved,' read a joint statement provided to Daily Mail by both teams. 'The Parties are focused on the future.'

It was in August of 2023 that the Knicks sued the Raptors, Toronto's newly hired head coach Darko Rajakovic, former New York employee Ikechukwu Azotam, and 10 unnamed John Does for allegedly stealing proprietary information from the club.

The Knicks claimed that due to Rajakovic's relative inexperience, the Raptors felt the need to poach procedures and strategies from New York. Rajakovic had been an NBA assistant coach since 2014 and previously coached in the NBA's G League.

Azotam was accused of stealing confidential files, research for the 2022-23 season, video scouting files and data on opponents.

'As a first time NBA head coach, Defendant Rajakovic would be expected to bring his own organizational structure and coaching method,' read the Knicks' complaint. 'Apparently, given his non-traditional path to his head coaching job, Defendant Rajaković did not have his own, so he chose to exploit the Knicks' methods.'

Maple Leaf Sports & Entertainment, which also owns the NHL's Maple Leafs, filed a motion to dismiss the lawsuit in Manhattan US District Court, calling the complaint a 'public relations stunt.

The motion argued that the league's 'all-encompassing arbitration clause' requires NBA teams to address legal matters through private hearings rather than civil trials.'

Additionally, the Raptors did ask NBA commissioner Adam Silver to intervene in the dispute, according to multiple reports, and in June of 2024, U.S. District Judge Jessica Clarke agreed.

It may have taken 16 months, but the two teams have finally agreed to end the dispute.