Silver expects players to stand during anthem

Adam Silver expects NBA players to continue standing for the national anthem.

Not only because it’s a league rule, but because they are aware of what it means in what the commissioner believes is a divided America.

“Many of our players have spoken out already about their plan to stand for the anthem,” Silver said Thursday. “And I think they understand how divisive an issue it is in our society right now.”

Silver didn’t say what would happen if any players refuse to stand, adding: “If that were to happen, we’ll deal with it when it happens.”

He spoke following the NBA’s Board of Governors meetings, during which owners passed rules designed to prevent healthy players from sitting out games and teams from losing games on purpose to improve their draft position.

Under the new draft-lottery rules, the teams with the three worst records will have 14 percent odds to land the No. 1 pick when the changes are implemented with the 2019 draft.

The team with the worst record previously had 25 percent odds to win the lottery and could fall to the No. 4 spot in the draft. Now that team could tumble to fifth.

LeBron hurt: LeBron James turned his left ankle during practice Wednesday night. The Cavs said James had Xrays that were negative. The three-time NBA champion didn’t practice Thursday. He’s expected to be day to day.

On trial: Prosecutors urged a jury to convict NBA players Marcus and Markieff Morris of assault charges for their role in the 2015 beating of a former acquaintance in a case that has delayed the start of their season as they stand trial in Phoenix.