Judge Announces Adam Silver’s Settlement in New York Knicks Lawsuit

A U.S. district judge has called for Silver’s termination in the ongoing legal dispute between the New York Knicks and Toronto Raptors.

According to multiple reports, Judge Jessica G. L. Clarke of the Southern District of New York ruled that the case should be decided by NBA Commissioner Adam Silver, not a court. The dispute stems from the alleged theft of confidential Knicks files by a former team employee who allegedly passed confidential materials to Toronto.

The Knicks previously argued that Silver should recuse himself from the proceedings because of his friendship with Larry Tanenbaum, president of the Raptors’ parent company, Maple Leaf Sports & Entertainment.

According to a report by Mike Vorkunov of The Athletic, Clarke said trying to exclude Silver from the proceedings at this stage “would be akin to complaining about the officiating before the match even starts.” However, the Knicks intend to continue on their current path.

“We have been the victim of theft of proprietary and confidential files in clear violation of criminal and civil law, and we continue to evaluate our legal options,” an MSG Sports spokesperson said of the development. “We do not believe it is appropriate for the NBA commissioner to rule on a matter involving his boss, the president of the NBA and his team.”

The reaction was predictably contrasting from Toronto’s side. A Raptors spokesman told Stefan Bondy of the New York Post that they were “pleased that the court agreed that the matter should be resolved by the NBA, which we maintain is the proper forum for resolving disputes of this nature.” Silver, for his part, has not publicly commented on the lawsuit, saying he “(didn’t) yet have a sense of how egregious it is” in September.

Clarke’s ruling left open the possibility of going back to court, arguing that this could occur if Silver finds himself unfit to arbitrate.

It seems the two sides have no problem staying close: Reports surfaced earlier this week that OG Anunoby and Immanuel Quickley, the key players who were traded between the Atlantic Division rivals in late December, would sign long-term contract extensions with their new teams.

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