Knicks, Raptors Drop "Stolen Files" Lawsuit

The Knicks and Raptors quietly ended a high-profile 2023 lawsuit that accused former New York employee Ikechukwu Azotam of taking “thousands” of proprietary files to Toronto. New York had sought $10 million, claiming the files — play frequency reports, a 2022–23 prep book, video scouting and opposition research — would give Toronto an advantage. Toronto had called the suit “baseless” and a “public relations stunt by the Knicks.” In a joint statement, both sides said “the matter is resolved” and “The Parties are focused on the future.” Merlin sees this as a closed curtain rather than a revelation: the legal theater distracted both clubs but likely did little to alter on-court truth. With a judge routing the dispute toward commissioner arbitration and both teams withdrawing claims, the league and front offices can return to basketball business. The real risk is internal controls — teams must guard secrets, but a permanent competitive shift? Unlikely.