NBA Investigating Bigotry Allegation By Elijah Millsap Against Utah Jazz VP Dennis Lindsey
The Utah Jazz are reportedly cooperating with an NBA investigation into former Elijah Millsap’s allegation that the team’s executive vice president of basketball operations made bigoted comments during an end-of-season meeting in 2015.
According to ESPN, on Thursday (February 25), the Jazz announced that the probe will include the sharing of detailed notes taken in the meeting that Millsap, Dennis Lindsey and two other Jazz officials attended.
"The Jazz organization has zero tolerance for discriminatory behavior of any kind," the team said in a statement. "We take these matters seriously. We have proactively engaged outside counsel to work in coordination with the NBA to thoroughly investigate this matter. We seek a comprehensive and unbiased review of the situation."
Millsap alleged on Twitter that bigotry "is still very well present" at his former organization and is a problem that needs to be addressed. Millsap claims Lindsey "made bigot remarks in my exit interview while conversing with Q. Snyder 'if you say one more word, I'll cut your Black ass and send you back to Louisiana.'"
In prepared words to local media, Lindsey said: "I categorically deny making that statement."
ESPN reports Millsap had an exit meeting in April 2015 that included Lindsey, Snyder and general manager Justin Zanik, who was then an assistant general manager and responsible for keeping detailed notes of the conversation. Those notes were entered into a team database, and league forensic investigators can determine whether they've been altered or updated in any way.
Millsap played two seasons for the Jazz from 2014-2016. The team currently has the best record in the NBA at 26-6.
