ESPN reports that several NBA teams have stopped staying at hotel properties owned by President-Elect Donald Trump and that more teams are considering making the same move. From ESPN:
At least three NBA teams have stopped staying at Donald Trump-branded hotels this season in part to avoid any implied association with the new president-elect, according to league sources.
Sources told ESPN.com that the Milwaukee Bucks, Memphis Grizzlies and Dallas Mavericks have moved away from Trump hotels in New York City and Chicago, which bear Donald Trump's name through a licensing agreement.
Sources say that another Eastern Conference team contracted to stay at the Trump SoHo in New York this season has likewise already decided to switch to a different property in Manhattan when its current contract expires at season's end and that the Trump association is among the factors for the switch.
Seven other teams told ESPN.com on Tuesday that they are still currently scheduled to stay at Trump-branded properties this season.
Source: At least 3 NBA teams no longer staying at Trump-brand hotels in NYC and Chicago.
Several players were shocked along with much of the country at last Tuesday's election result that saw Trump defeat Democratic nominee Hillary Clinton. LeBron James openly campaigned for Clinton at an Ohio event and said last week after meeting with President Barack Obama at the White House for the last time that he is unsure whether he would attend future White House events, should he secure future NBA titles.
The NBA has taken no official stance regarding controversial statements repeatedly made by the President-Elect throughout the campaign, but ESPN did report last week that the league issued a message to its players and team personnel reiterating its values of diversity and inclusiveness in the wake of Trump's victory, without specifically mentioning Trump's election.
