NBA players have been leaders in taking stands on divisive societal issues, and the league and union leadership want to work with them in any kind of protests or statements they may make in the season that begins next month.

In a letter sent to each of the almost 500 players under contract, NBA commissioner Adam Silver and NBA Players’ Association executive director Michele Roberts are urging teams to reach out to organizations and law enforcement officials in their city to hold community discussions.

They want to “engage young people, parents, community leaders and law enforcement in a candid dialogue; using our game to bring people together and build bonds of trust in our communities; and supporting mentoring and career development programs that help bring economic opportunity to young people of colour.”

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The letter to players doesn’t address any protests during the playing of national anthems before games, a silent protest first made by backup NFL quarterback Colin Kaepernick of the San Francisco 49ers and mirrored by USA women’s soccer team veteran Megan Rapinoe and others.

NBA rules prohibit players from not standing during the playing of the anthems and there are no plans to change them but there was also no warning of repercussions in the letter Silver and Roberts sent.

There were no immediate repercussions to members of the WNBA Indiana Fever, who knelt en masse during the anthem prior to a Wednesday night playoff game in Indianapolis.

The NBA’s first pre-season games begin late next week, the regular season opens Oct. 25.

Golden State Warriors coach Steve Kerr — who earlier this summer said the U.S. “government is insane” with regards to gun control — said he would be fine with some kind of non-violent player protest.

“As long as the message is clear, I’m all for people speaking out against injustice,” Kerr told reporters. “Whatever form that takes, if it’s non-violent and it leads to conversation, then I think that’s a good thing.”

Earlier this summer, high profile NBA stars LeBron James, Carmelo Anthony, Dwyane Wade and Chris Paul made an impassioned plea for tolerance and discussion during a nationally-televised sports awards show; many of the league’s top players wore warmup shirts two seasons ago with “I Can’t Breathe” on them after teenager Eric Garner died after police put him in a choke hold.