Knicks sue former employee, Raptors, cite disclosure of 'proprietary information' - ESPN

The New York Knicks on Monday sued the Toronto Raptors, members of the Raptors organization and a former Knicks employee whom they alleged «illegally procured and then disclosed proprietary information» to their Atlantic Division rival.

According to a copy of the lawsuit, which was filed in the U.S. District Court in Manhattan and was obtained by ESPN, the Knicks state that Ikechukwu Azotam, who worked for the Knicks from 2020 to 2023, sent the Raptors thousands of confidential files — including play frequency reports, a prep book for the 2022-23 season, video scouting files, opposition research and more — after the team began recruiting him to join their organization in the summer of 2023.

The Knicks accused Azotam — who worked for the Knicks as an assistant video coordinator, then as a director of video/analytics/player development assistant — of violating a confidentiality clause in an employment agreement and alleged that members of the Raptors «directed Azotam's actions and/or knowingly benefited from Azotam's wrongful acts.»

Further, the Knicks alleged that the Raptors «conspired to use Azotam's position as a current Knicks insider to funnel proprietary information to the Raptors to help them organize, plan, and structure the new coaching and video operations staff,» the lawsuit states.

Raptors head coach Darko Rajaković, player development coach Noah Lewis and ten «unknown» Raptors employees were also listed as defendants in the Knicks' lawsuit.

In a statement from an MSG Sports spokesperson, the Knicks said, in part, «Given the clear violation of our employment agreement, criminal and civil law, we were left no choice but to take this action.»

Maple Leaf Sports & Entertainment, which owns the Raptors, and the