Grant Napear’s lawyers claim the Kings radio station is changing its reason for firing him

The lawsuit by a former announcer filed against a radio station that carries Sacramento Kings games got a new wrinkle this week.

Grant Napear and his lawyers said in new court filings that Bonneville International, owners of KHTK-AM 1140, now claim they fired Napear last year because the NBA team it carried wanted to cut ties with the veteran sports announcer and broadcaster.

Previously, the Kings flagship station had said it was dumping Napear because he had violated the terms of his employment contract. In an amended complaint, Napear’s team claims that Bonneville representatives now say Napear was dismissed because the Kings wanted him out.

Earlier this year, Napear filed suit against Bonneville for wrongful termination after he was dismissed in June 2020 following a tweet he posted that his radio employers and others viewed as dismissive of the civil rights movement known as Black Lives Matter.

Napear said “all lives matter” in a response to former Kings player DeMarcus Cousins, who publicly asked Napear for his opinion about the movement on the social media platform.

Napear says he meant the phrase “all lives matter” in its most literal sense — that all people mattered. In subsequent interviews with The Sacramento Bee, Napear claimed he was not aware that opponents of Black Lives Matter used the phrase as a way to diminish or discount a movement that flourished at the height of nationwide protests following the death of George Floyd at the hands of Minneapolis police.

Bonneville, which is owned by the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, released a statement on June 2, 2020, that it had “parted ways” with Napear because his comments “did not reflect the views of values of Bonneville.”

“The timing of (Napear’s) tweet was particularly insensitive,” Bonneville said in its news release, referring to the tweet three days before.

Napear was soon pulled from the air.

According to the complaint, Napear was terminated “for cause” as defined by a clause in Napear’s employment contract. The complaint cites the clause as stating the following: “Any act of material dishonesty, misconduct, or other conduct that might discredit the goodwill, good name or reputation of the Company.”

Napear’s legal team now says that Bonneville is changing its story, amending the complaint to argue that Napear was terminated “only after the Sacramento Kings Basketball Team held a ‘basketball team meeting’ about Napear’s continued employment with the Sacramento Kings.

“According to Defendant Bonneville, during the team meeting the Sacramento Kings allegedly held a ‘vote’ in which team players and team executives “voted” to end the Sacramento Kings employment relationship with Napear.”

Napear and his lawyers argue there was no team meeting: “The Sacramento Kings do not “vote” on the employment of any other player, employee or executive.”

A representative for Bonneville declined to comment. The Kings also declined to comment.

Napear has sued Bonneville for an amount that exceeds $75,000 in damages for wrongful termination, discrimination and retaliation, according to a complaint filed by Napear’s attorney in federal court in Sacramento.

Napear was the Kings TV play-by-play announcer from 1988 until June 2020. He was also the host of an afternoon sports talk radio show on KHTK for 26 years.