Report: NBA sets hearing date for Raptors, Knicks dispute

Stefan Bondy of the New York Post reported Tuesday that the NBA has set a hearing date for late July to hear from both sides.

Way back in August 2023, the Knicks sued the Raptors, then-recently hired head coach Darko Rajakovic and a former Knicks scouting employee, saying the defendants conspired to steal thousands of videos and other scouting secrets over the past few weeks.

The Knicks said the theft occurred in recent weeks after the Raptors hired and recruited “a mole” within the Knicks organization. The lawsuit identified him as Ikechukwu Azotam, who since August 2021 had directed the planning, organizing and distribution of all video scouting responsibilities for the Knicks coaching staff.

The Knicks were seeking $10 million in damages.

In October 2023, MLSE filed a motion for dismissal, calling the lawsuit “baseless” and a “public relations stunt by the Knicks.”

A federal judge ruled this past June that NBA commissioner Adam Silver should handle the dispute.

New York has argued that Silver shouldn’t arbitrate the dispute largely because of his relationship with Raptors governor and minority owner of Maple Leafs Sports and Entertainment, Larry Tanenbaum.

“Last June, the Courts ordered the NBA to arbitrate this theft of proprietary and confidential files — and now, after the NBA sat on this for seven months, we are being told that we will finally get a hearing in another seven months,” an MSG Sports spokesperson told Bondy in a statement. “We remain skeptical because the NBA has consistently demonstrated no desire to address this matter, most likely due to the fact that the Chairman of the NBA is the defendant.”

The Raptors said they had no comment when asked about the hearing.

— With files from The Associated Press.