Knicks want over $10 million from Raptors in lawsuit as they claim Adam Silver is compromised
The Knicks are seeking more than $10 million in their lawsuit against the Raptors and claim Adam Silver is compromised by his cozy relationship with Toronto minority owner Larry Tanenbaum, according to an explosive 24-page court filing obtained by The Post.
The Knicks’ filing, which was a response to the Raptors’ motion to dismiss the lawsuit, focused on several reasons why the court should handle the dispute, rather than the NBA, most notably by arguing Silver is too “conflicted” to judge the Raptors because of Tanenbaum’s position as the league’s Chairman of the Board of Governors.
“In his capacity as Chairman, Tanenbaum serves as Silver’s boss and exercises control over and heavily influences Silver’s continued employment and salary,” the Knicks say.
It’s rare for a team to openly question the integrity of its league commissioner.
“Tanenbaum and Silver also have a close relationship,” the document argues. “Among other things, Tanenbaum has been described as ‘a close ally of Commissioner Adam Silver.’ Silver himself described Tanenbaum as ‘not just my boss as the chairman of the board of governors, but he’s very much a role model in my life.’
“If Silver were to preside over the instant dispute, he would be arbitrating a case for his boss and ally.”
The Knicks added that Tanenbaum was handpicked by Silver despite an election for chairman, inferring the process was rigged by the commissioner to help his buddy.
“In practice, [Tanenbaum’s] elections have been performative,” the Knicks claim. “It is the NBA — led by Commissioner Silver — that handpicks the candidate for Chairman, a selection that is submitted by the league to the Board of Governors without an opposing nominee, thus leaving the Governors with no other option.”
The NBA declined comment.
The Knicks’ lawsuit stems from allegations that Ike Azotam, a former Knicks video coordinator who was hired by the Raptors, conspired with his new team to steal a trove of scouting and analytics secrets, including zip files containing “over 3,000 videos.
