Adam Silver's View: If Invited, Warriors Should Go to the White House

The Golden State Warriors are the reigning NBA champions.

As a result, one would assume they will be invited to the White House for a celebration with Donald Trump.

Just before last month's NBA Draft, Blazers guard C.J. McCollum sat down with Adam Silver and asked the Commissioner about a potential Warriors visit to our nation's capital.

"I definitely don't think it should be a league decision," Silver said in a video posted to The Players' Tribune. "I don't think we should be directing teams or players to go to the White House.

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"It's my view that if invited, our teams should go to the White House. Regardless of people's personal political views, I think that these instiutions are bigger than any individual politician; any individual elected official.

"And it concerns me that something like going to the White House after winning a championship -- something that's been a great tradition -- would become one that is partisan."

From a Monte Poole article on June 13:

"Steve Kerr made up his mind seven months ago, within hours, if not minutes, of Donald Trump being elected president. And some of his Warriors players were not far behind. Kerr told NBCSportsBayArea.com last November that if the Warriors were to win the NBA Finals, he would not accept an invitation to visit the White House.

"Those were Kerr's feelings then, but he felt it would be presumptuous to express them publicly during the middle of a season. Now that the Warriors have the championship, taking out the Cavaliers in five games, don't expect that to change."

But perhaps Kerr has changed his mind?

In a podcast with Tim Kawakami in late June, Kerr was singing a different tune:

"The biggest thing for me is it's about the players. This is a visit that's about the team. We have not met about it because we haven't been invited.

"But I would want to make sure the players gave this really a lot of thought. Everybody knows I've been a very outspoken critic of Trump's and as a result maybe we won't get the invitation.

"I do think it is very important to consider a potential invitation because I think it could have really positive ramifications if we did go. And it's a different way to look at it. I, like many of our players, am very offended by some of Trump's words and actions.

"On the other hand, I do think there's something to respecting the office, respecting our institutions, our government. And I think it can make a statement in a time where there is so much divide and everybody seems to be angry with each other."

Silver agrees with Kerr's view.

"I will say -- even though I think teams should make decisions as organizations, that I would also respect an individual player's decision not to go."

After winning the title in 2015, the Warriors accepted Barack Obama's invitation and visited the White House on Feb. 4, 2016.

Drew Shiller is the co-host of Warriors Outsiders and a Web Producer at NBC Sports Bay Area. Follow him on Twitter @DrewShiller

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