The New York Knicks and former player Charles Oakley have been on bad terms with each other for eight years stemming from an incident at Madison Square Garden. A new report suggests that the Knicks are willing to put the situation behind them on one condition.
The Knicks would welcome Oakley back as a celebrated Knicks alumnus if he drops his ongoing lawsuit against owner James Dolan and Madison Square Garden, according to Jared Schwartz of the New York Post. If Oakley did so, he would be welcomed back at games and team events as a celebrated ex-player.
Oakley was initially banned from Madison Square Garden over the February 2017 incident, in which Oakley was escorted from the arena after getting into a confrontation with arena security. That ban has since been lifted, but Oakley can only attend games by buying a ticket and attending as a regular fan.
Many former Knicks are often spotlighted attending games, often sitting near Dolan. Oakley has not been extended that courtesy since the 2017 incident. The 61-year-old spent ten seasons with the franchise and was the team’s starting center in 1994 when they reached the NBA Finals.
Oakley continues to pursue litigation against Dolan and Madison Square Garden in the form of assault and battery claims. He has maintained he wants an apology from Dolan, which evidently has not come.
Considering the state the Knicks are in during the Eastern Conference Finals, Oakley might not have a chance to see the team again this season even if he wanted to.
