Adrian WojnarowskiSenior NBA Insider3 Minute Read
Before initiating a controversial lawsuit against the Toronto Raptors, which includes allegations questioning the impartiality of NBA commissioner Adam Silver, New York Knicks owner James Dolan stepped down from his positions on the NBA board of governors’ influential advisory/finance and media committees, as per a memo obtained by ESPN.
In a memo sent to Silver and the other 29 team owners, Dolan expressed his decision to no longer attend board of governor meetings and to delegate the representation of the organization to Knicks general counsel Jamaal Lesane. He also cited his busy schedule within the MSG family of companies as a reason for his resignation.
Additionally, Dolan voted against the sale of the Charlotte Hornets and WNBA expansion to San Francisco, indicating his growing discontent with the league’s revenue sharing system and other issues.
The lawsuit filed by the Knicks alleges the theft of confidential files by the Raptors and seeks over $10 million in damages. The Knicks further argued that Silver’s close relationship with Raptors governor Larry Tanenbaum constitutes a conflict of interest in arbitrating the dispute.
The lawsuit, which claims the Raptors stole confidential files, also points to a friendship between Silver and Tanenbaum as potential grounds for a conflict of interest if Silver were to preside over the dispute.
On the other hand, the Knicks’ lawsuit is rooted in the common practice of coaches and development staff bringing files and notes on different programs they implemented from previous teams.
ESPN’s Baxter Holmes and Seth Wickersham contributed to this report.
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