The Knicks withdraw their lawsuit against the Raptors for the theft of their files
The two franchises have agreed to dismiss the case and move forward following the great controversy that arose in 2023 in the NBA
The 2025/26 NBA season will begin with the New York Knicks and the Toronto Raptors having made amends. The two franchises had been at odds since 2023, when the former sued the latter for the theft of their files.
After over a year of off-court tensions, the two teams have officially decided to close one of the most uncomfortable legal episodes in recent times in the NBA. The Knicks have withdrawn the lawsuit against the Raptors after reaching an agreement, putting an end to the litigation that pitted both organizations against each other over the alleged theft of thousands of internal files from the New York team in 2023.
The information, revealed by Baxter Holmes of ESPN, confirms that the Knicks and Maple Leaf Sports & Entertainment (MLSE), the company that owns the Raptors, have reached an agreement to end the conflict and focus on their respective seasons.
"The Knicks and Maple Leaf Sports & Entertainment have withdrawn their respective lawsuits and the matter is resolved. The parties are focused on the future," both organizations explained in a joint statement sent to ESPN.
A case that shook the NBA
The dispute dates back to the summer of 2023, when the Knicks filed a federal lawsuit alleging that the Raptors, through the then newly joined Ikechukwu Azotam —a former member of the New York video operations department—, acquired thousands of confidential files from the franchise.
According to court documents, Azotam reportedly shared internal information with the Toronto coaching staff while they "organized, planned, and structured the new video operations team" under the guidance of head coach Darko Rajakovic, who had just taken over.
Among the allegedly transferred materials were scouting reports, player development strategies, defensive schemes, and video databases —elements considered essential in the internal analysis work of an NBA team—.
The Knicks included Azotam, the Raptors, and Rajakovic in the lawsuit, accusing them of misappropriation of trade secrets.
This is an automatic translation. You can read the original news, Los Knicks retiran la demanda a los Raptors por el robo de sus archivos
