A psychologist formerly employed by the San Antonio Spurs agreed to settle her lawsuit against the team Thursday after alleging that the Spurs had ignored her repeated complaints about guard Josh Primo, whom she said exposed himself to her on nine occasions during their one-on-one sessions.
Primo’s attorney, William J. Briggs II, declined to comment through a spokesperson.
Cauthen, an Austin-based sports psychologist, said in a lawsuit filed this month that she first reported to the Spurs in January that Primo had exposed himself to her during an individual session. The lawsuit stated that she met with General Manager Brian Wright in March and with a Spurs legal representative in May to discuss the matter but “nothing was done” and Primo remained an active member of the team. The Spurs opted not to renew Cauthen’s contract in August. Cauthen also alleged Primo exposed himself to other people on at least two occasions.
“My passion is to help others learn how to thrive in their world and to help organizations develop a culture of care,” Cauthen said at a news conference this month. “The organization I worked for has failed me.”
The 19-year-old Primo, who was San Antonio’s 2021 first-round pick, was abruptly released by the Spurs in late October, less than three weeks after the organization picked up his $4.3 million option for the 2023-24 season.
Spurs CEO R.C. Buford said in a statement Thursday that the organization was “taking measures to ensure that all parties involved are treated with dignity and respect” because the Spurs “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,” Buford said. “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.”
Before the settlement, Buford had said the organization “disagreed with the accuracy of facts, details and timeline presented” by Cauthen and Buzbee, which suggested that 10 months elapsed between Cauthen’s first report of misbehavior and Primo’s release. Buzbee previously represented nearly two dozen women who brought sexual misconduct lawsuits against NFL quarterback Deshaun Watson.
Primo, who was the youngest player selected in the 2021 draft after spending one season at Alabama, averaged 7.0 points, 3.3 rebounds and 4.5 assists in four appearances this season. Entering the season, he was viewed as a key piece in the Spurs’ rebuilding effort. Primo is an unrestricted free agent after clearing waivers following his release.
