Ex-GM Penny Toler Files Lawsuit Against Sparks Alleging Wrongful Termination

Former Los Angeles Sparks general manager Penny Toler has filed a lawsuit against the franchise in which she says she was fired because she filed complaints about team executives, including an accusation of "sexually predatory conduct" against former coach Brian Agler. 

TMZ Sports obtained a copy of the lawsuit, which makes several accusations against members of Sparks management. Toler says the team refused to investigate Agler despite players complaining about the coach, who resigned in 2018 and is currently the coach of the Dallas Wings. 

The suit also says Toler attempted to report an affair involving "high-level team execs," but the organization did not investigate. In addition, she says former team president Christine Simmons blocked her from trading star Candace Parker because the women are friends. According to Toler, Simmons influenced the organization to fire her after she used the N-word in a locker-room blowup with players during the 2019 playoffs.

"It's ridiculous that the organization used Toler's use of the word 'n---a' during a locker room speech to rally the team against her when during practices and workouts songs played from Spotify were laced with the same slang expletives or worse," Holly Baird, who represents Toler, told TMZ.

Toler served as the Sparks' general manager from 1999-2019, compiling rosters that won three WNBA championships. She is suing the organization for breach of contract, wrongful termination and retaliation, among other claims.