Former Trail Blazers employee files lawsuit against team

Justina Smith, a former employee of the Portland Trail Blazers, has filed a lawsuit against the team arguing that she didn't receive a promotion because of discrimination.

Justina Smith, a former employee of the Portland Trail Blazers, has filed a lawsuit against the team.

Smith, who was a corporate ticket sales manager, is arguing that she didn't receive a promotion because of discrimination and was dismissed upon complaining to management about it. Smith is African-American.

The $850,000 suit, which was filed Friday in Multnomah County Circuit Court, says Anderson worked for the Trail Blazers for about a year and applied for a promotion twice but "was rejected for promotion in lieu of non-female and/or non-African American candidates in substantial part because of her race and/or sex," according to The Oregonian.

- Chris Johnson