Knicks legend Charles Oakley grilled over ‘missing’ texts that could be key in years-long battle against MSG owner James Dolan

Knicks legend Charles Oakley was grilled in Manhattan federal court Thursday over text messages that went “missing” in the aftermath of his infamous ejection from Madison Square Garden.

The former power forward — who’s suing billionaire team owner James Dolan, 69, for booting him from a Knicks game in 2017 — was asked during a heated cross-examination why he got rid of cell phone data that could be key in the protracted legal battle.

The ex-NBA star replied that he lost the data when his phone “broke” in Oakland, Calif. in July and he had to quickly get a new one.

“It was more important to have a phone at that moment,” Oakley told Dolan’s lawyer, Randy Mastro. “I don’t know what was lost.”

Oakley, 62, later added that he’s simply not very tech savvy.

“I don’t do well with gadgets and stuff,” he said. “My phone is not that important. I don’t know what the cloud is.”

The basketball great filed a lawsuit against Madison Square Garden and Dolan in September 2017 over the ejection, claiming security “used excessive force in accomplishing the removal.”

The years-long feud between the men was revived in May, when New York Court of Appeals reinstated the twice-dismissed lawsuit.

During cross-examination Thursday, Mastro asked Oakley who he texted about the arena incident, suggesting he may have contacted his sisters and former NBA player Jason Willliams.

“What’s so wrong with texting the people that love me?” Oakley fired back.

The attorney also grilled Oakley about whether he knew that you’re supposed to keep evidence such as text messages when you file a lawsuit.

Pressed about his “duty” to preserve texts Oakley said, “Things happen.”

Oakley said he’s gotten three new phones since the incident, including one in 2021.

Once Oakley left the courtroom, Mastro argued he was not a credible witness — and likely intentionally got rid of his phone data.

 “He’s a liar,” Mastro said. “I think he made a conscious choice to get rid of this stuff.”

Judge Richard Sullivan didn’t rule on any matter related to the texts but turned the heat on Oakley’s lawyer, Nelson Boxer — questioning whether he’d adequately explained to Oakley the importance of preserving records.

“Did you do anything other than put a paragraph in a retainer agreement? Was there a conversation, ‘Your phone is important?’” the judge asked.

“That specific conversation did not happen,” Boxer admitted.

Lawyers for MSG have previously cited text messages sent to Oakley from people allegedly urging him to go after Dolan — with one allegedly telling him to “sue the [expletive] out of Dolan,” according to sportico.com

Another text allegedly encouraged Oakley to use the discovery process to inflict a “public relations, social media, [and] social responsibility toll,” the outlet reported.

In November, Sullivan called into question five years of Oakley’s “missing” text messages.

“This is outrageous,” the judge said of the vanished records.

Oakley was thrown out of Madison Square Garden and arrested after allegedly heckling Dolan during a Knicks game against the Los Angeles Clippers in February 2017.

He was booted from the building in a dramatic scene in which security guards were seen dragging the hulking 6-foot-8 ex-forward as he tried to shove them away.

The criminal case against Oakley, which included assault and harassment charges, was later dismissed.

In his lawsuit, Oakley claimed he was unfairly targeted for taking verbal jabs at Dolan — though MSG personnel said at the time that Oakley was drunk and belligerent.

Oakley’s twice-dismissed lawsuit was revived for a second time in May by the New York Court of Appeals, which overruled a lower court’s decision to toss the case.

The suit was previously thrown out of Manhattan federal court in 2020. It was then revived by the Court of Appeals before being tossed again in 2021.

Before he was booted from the arena, Oakley had complained about the Knicks under Dolan’s ownership and griped that he was forced to pay for tickets that had previously been complimentary for former players.

Oakley played for the Knicks from 1988 to 1998 and is known for being one of the NBA’s best rebounders and most physical players.