Yahoo Sports Spurs settle lawsuit with former team psychologist over Joshua Primo misconduct allegations
Former San Antonio Spurs team psychologist Hillary Cauthen agreed to a settlement in her lawsuit against the NBA team and its former player Joshua Primo, according to the San Antonio Express-News.
Cauthen accused Primo of exposing himself to her during their sessions on nine different occasions, leading to her lawsuit against him and the Spurs for not protecting her and a criminal complaint against Primo.
A criminal investigation was initiated by the Bexar County Sheriff’s Office soon after Cauthen came forward.
Cauthen's attorney, Tony Buzbee, confirmed to the Express-News the matter was settled, writing, "The parties have agreed to resolve this matter," though court records currently show the lawsuit dropping the Spurs as a defendant, but not Primo. There hasn't been any word on the state of the criminal investigation.
The Spurs released a statement calling the situation "a learning opportunity" and pledging to improve their workplace policies:
"The situation regarding Josh Primo is a matter we take seriously. Since learning of the allegations, we have taken, and are taking, measures to ensure that all parties involved are treated with dignity and respect. We know we owe that to Dr. Cauthen, our players, our staff and our community.
"As an organization, we are continuously evaluating and refining our processes so they ultimately reflect the values and culture of who we aspire to be every day. To that end, we have decided to collaborate with Dr. Cauthen and other experts in an effort to review and improve our workplace processes and procedures.
"This is a learning opportunity for us, and one that we are certain will make us better moving forward."
The Spurs waived Primo a few days before Cauthen filed her lawsuit and the 19-year-old remains a free agent. Some teams were reported to be interested in the former 12th overall draft pick, but clearly none have decided to move forward on a player who was the youngest in the NBA last season.
Despite his young age, Primo had worked himself into the Spurs' rotation and clearly held plenty of potential for the team. Before the reason for his release was revealed, he attributed his issues to past trauma and said he would focus on his mental health treatment:
"I know that you all are surprised by today's announcement. I've been seeking help to deal with previous trauma I suffered and will now take this time to focus on my mental health treatment more fully. I hope to be able to discuss these issues in the future so I can help others who have suffered in a similar way. I appreciate privacy at this time."
