RALEIGH, N.C. (AP) 鈥� N.C. State is investigating potential legal claims against LSU tied to men鈥檚 basketball coach Will Wade leaving . That includes whether LSU violated a North Carolina state law.
N.C. State vice chancellor and general counsel Allison B. Newhart wrote to LSU counterpart Carlton Jones last week about the matter, a development The letter was later obtained by The Associated Press in a records request.
According to N.C. State, it has received three email messages from LSU asking the school to 鈥渟ign a release of claims鈥� against LSU in the Wade matter.
Letter cites a state law with potential financial damages
Newhart’s letter from last Thursday states the school 鈥渉as not agreed 鈥� and does not agree now 鈥� to release LSU from any liability鈥� tied to Wade鈥檚 departure after one season with the Wolfpack in March.
鈥淚nstead, N.C. State is investigating whether LSU improperly induced Coach Wade to breach his Employment Agreement, induced Coach Wade to terminate his Employment Agreement, and interfered with the timing of termination of the Employment Agreement to result in lower liquidated damages 鈥� all to N.C. State鈥檚 detriment,鈥� Newhart wrote.
That includes whether LSU violated the state鈥檚 Unfair and Deceptive Trade Practices Act; violations can result in financial damages and attorney fees.
Reached by the AP on Wednesday, N.C. State spokeswoman Lauren Barker said the school had no additional comment beyond the letter’s contents. LSU spokesman Michael Bonnette declined comment to the AP.
The timing of Wade’s buyout payment is a key factor
LSU hired Wade on March 26, two weeks at N.C. State in Year 2.
The buyout in Wade鈥檚 contract was for $5 million, but was scheduled to drop to $3 million after April 1. At the time, athletic director Boo Corrigan said the school agreed to lower that to $4 million to close the matter and not delay the search for a successor that landed in less than a week.
Newhart鈥檚 letter states the N.C. State received a $4 million wire from LSU on May 8 for Wade’s buyout. But she also writes that N.C. State considers the issue resolved 鈥渙nly as to Coach Wade鈥檚 personal obligations鈥� and that the payment 鈥渄oes not absolve LSU from potential legal exposure.鈥�
Specifically, the letter states N.C. State 鈥渉as reason to suspect 鈥淟SU may have influenced efforts to avoid or delay鈥� notifying the school of the pursuit to trigger the lower buyout payment from after April 1.
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AP Sports Writer Brett Martel in New Orleans contributed to this report.
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