The New York Knicks and team owner James Dolan have been a part of a lawsuit with the Toronto Raptors dating back to the summer. The lawsuit alleges that a former Knicks employee that joined the Raptors “illegally procured” and disclosed proprietary info from New York and shared it with members of his new organization.
On Monday, it was revealed that the Knicks are seeking $10 million in damages from the Raptors and that they do not want NBA commissioner Adam Silver handling the situation given his close relationship with Raptors governor Larry Tanenbaum.
Now, Dolan has continued to draw questions marks to this conflict as a whole, as the Knicks owner stepped down from his positions on the NBA board of governors' influential advisory/finance and media committees, according to a memo obtained by ESPN.
Based on the document acquired by ESPN, Dolan claimed that the NBA does not want to hear his opinions and do not want his opinions as a result of the league not showing any support in his lawsuit over the summer.
Dolan will no longer be attending the league's board of governor meetings, but he will not be relinquishing his voting power for the franchise. Knicks general counsel Jamaal Lesane is expected to represent the organization at the board of governors meetings moving forward.
“My hope is that the Knicks will be treated equally and fairly as all other NBA teams,” Dolan said in the memo. “… As you know, I am very busy with all my duties at MSG family of companies. I need to apply my time where I can be most productive.”
A heavily criticized owner throughout the NBA, Dolan has made a lot of questionable decisions through the years that have not sat well with others involved in league operations. Not only has Dolan made it clear that he does not agree with the direction that Silver is taking the league in, but he has drawn animosity from other owners around the league for giving his opinions when it is not needed. A great example of this was when Michael Jordan's sale of the Charlotte Hornets passed with a 29-1 vote.
Dolan was the only owner to vote against the sale for no valid reason.
In terms of operating the Knicks, Dolan's questionable decision making and reputation with players has limited New York's capability to lure star players to the organization. Most recently, this applied to Cleveland Cavaliers All-Star Donovan Mitchell when he was on the trade block with the Utah Jazz, as Mitchell is not a fan of the Knicks owner.
The lawsuit between the Knicks and Raptors is ongoing. There is no clarity as to if the NBA and Silver will be getting involved.
Follow Us
Subscribe