The former personal manager for Nuggets forward Nene has filed a breach-of-contract lawsuit against the four-year pro, seeking more than $100,000 in damages.
Joseph Santos claims he had a seven-year contract with Nene, signed last July, that paid him 6 percent of Nene’s annual gross revenue, according to a lawsuit filed March 16 in Denver District Court.
Santos alleges Nene breached that contract when he fired Santos this month because the player “failed to set forth any good cause for the termination as required by the contract,” the suit states.
Nene, 23, also fired his agent Michael Coyne this month and hired agent Dan Fegan. Nene will be a restricted free agent after this season. Fegan didn’t return a call seeking comment.
Santos, 30, declined comment.
Santos served as Nene’s personal assistant and translator for several years, teaching Nene how to drive and how to speak English, according to the suit. Santos claims he discovered Nene in Brazil and helped him develop his basketball skills.
Santos is seeking unspecified damages of more than $100,000.
Staff writer Adam Thompson contributed to this report. Andy Vuong can be reached at 303-820-1209 or avuong@denverpost.com.
