Jim Dolan Claims Adam Silver Can't Be Trusted To Treat Knicks Fairly In Toronto Raptors Confidential Files Lawsuit

The drama is ramping up in the NBA thanks to an apparent disagreement between New York Knicks owner Jim Dolan and commissioner Adam Silver.

ESPN reported on Monday that the Knicks had filed a lawsuit against the Toronto Raptors alleging the theft of "thousands of confidential files," seeking $10 million in damages. That's unusual enough, but as part of the lawsuit, Dolan and the Knicks also said that the disagreement couldn't be managed within the NBA because commissioner Adam Silver would favor the Raptors.

Months before the lawsuit was filed, Dolan reportedly sent a memo to Silver and the other 29 owners resigning his position on the NBA board of governors' advisory/finance and media committees. The memo, which was acquired by ESPN, said that he believed that the league no longer valued Dolan's input on major issues.

"Given all that has occurred lately, I have come to the conclusion that the NBA neither needs nor wants my opinion," Dolan wrote in the July memo.

Along with that assessment, Dolan also said that he would no longer be part of board of governor meetings himself. Instead of Knicks ownership attending or voting on major issues, the team's general counsel Jamaal Lesane has taken over those responsibilities.

"My hope is that the Knicks will be treated equally and fairly as all other NBA teams," Dolan said, according to ESPN. "... As you know, I am very busy with all my duties at MSG family of companies. I need to apply my time where I can be most productive."

LOS ANGELES - Owner James L. Dolan of the New York Knicks smiles at a game against the Los Angeles Lakers on January 4, 2019 at STAPLES Center. Copyright 2019 NBAE (Photo by Andrew D. Bernstein/NBAE via Getty Images)

Jim Dolan Accuses Silver Of Being Too Close To Raptors' Leadership

The fact that the disagreement isn't being handled in house is surprising...at least until you read what Dolan is accusing Silver of.

In the Monday filing, the Knicks argued the Silver and Raptors governor Larry Tanenbaum are close friends, meaning that the team could not reasonably expect to be treated fairly in a dispute between the two organizations.

"Tanenbaum serves as Silver's boss and exercises control over and heavily influences Silver's continued employment and salary," according to the filing. He's also 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."

Drama!

Disagreements between Dolan and the NBA are common, and only increasing. As one of the league's, shall we say, mercurial owners, he's frequently faced public criticism. It's long been rumored that Silver would prefer that he sell the Knicks, hoping that new ownership could revitalize one of the NBA's signature franchises.

Clearly, the relationship between Dolan and Silver has now soured even further. Wild times in the NBA.