The NBA and the National Basketball Players Association have worked together over the last several days to create a plan to handle potential protests by players during the national anthem, sources told ESPN.com.
On Wednesday, NBA commissioner Adam Silver and union executive director Michele Roberts sent a joint letter to all players. In the document, obtained by ESPN, the two sides pledged to work together to find a way to take "meaningful action" in NBA cities in the wake of the unrest in the country.
The sides are hoping to build on the series of town hall events and meetings with local police officials, such as one led by Carmelo Anthony in Los Angeles in July, to continue building bonds of trust between law enforcement, players and communities.
In the letter, Silver and Roberts pledged to seek opinions of players during training camp as they look to develop programs as the new season begins.
Players have been seeking guidance from the union over the last several weeks in the wake of protests during the national anthem in the NFL. It is against NBA rules to not stand for the anthem. The league is not currently planning to change the rule, sources said. But Silver has supported players' desire to make social commentary in the past.
Last season several players violated league uniform rules by wearing "I Can't Breathe" shirts in warmups following the death of Eric Garner in New York but were not fined. Several WNBA players have kneeled during the anthem over the last several weeks and Wednesday the entire Indiana Fever team kneeled during the anthem before a playoff game. None of the WNBA players have been fined as the league is giving them space.
Silver and a group of owners that make up the labor relations committee have been regularly meeting with Roberts and her staff in recent months to work on a new collective bargaining agreement. Those talks have been productive and there is optimism building the sides may be able to work out a new deal by December, sources said.
The joint efforts to address the anthem situation by the parties indicates the relationship between the players, owners and league office is in a positive place at a key time.
NBA, union eye options beyond anthem protests
On Wednesday, NBA commissioner Adam Silver and union executive director Michele Roberts sent a joint letter to all players. In the document, obtained by ESPN, the two sides pledged to work together to find a way to take "meaningful action" in NBA cities in the wake of the unrest in the country.
The sides are hoping to build on the series of town hall events and meetings with local police officials, such as one led by Carmelo Anthony in Los Angeles in July, to continue building bonds of trust between law enforcement, players and communities.
In the letter, Silver and Roberts pledged to seek opinions of players during training camp as they look to develop programs as the new season begins.
Players have been seeking guidance from the union over the last several weeks in the wake of protests during the national anthem in the NFL. It is against NBA rules to not stand for the anthem. The league is not currently planning to change the rule, sources said. But Silver has supported players' desire to make social commentary in the past.
Last season several players violated league uniform rules by wearing "I Can't Breathe" shirts in warmups following the death of Eric Garner in New York but were not fined. Several WNBA players have kneeled during the anthem over the last several weeks and Wednesday the entire Indiana Fever team kneeled during the anthem before a playoff game. None of the WNBA players have been fined as the league is giving them space.
Silver and a group of owners that make up the labor relations committee have been regularly meeting with Roberts and her staff in recent months to work on a new collective bargaining agreement. Those talks have been productive and there is optimism building the sides may be able to work out a new deal by December, sources said.
The joint efforts to address the anthem situation by the parties indicates the relationship between the players, owners and league office is in a positive place at a key time.
NBA, union eye options beyond anthem protests
