The NBA and the Charlotte Hornets issued a joint statement Thursday expressing doubt that possible changes to a North Carolina law that limits protections for LGBT people would go far enough and saying they "do not endorse" the current version of the bill. "We have been engaged in dialogue with numerous groups at the city and state levels, but we do not endorse the version of the bill that we understand is currently before the legislature," the league and the Hornets said in the joint statement. Pressure to change the law, known as House Bill 2, has come from several quarters, including NBA commissioner Adam Silver, who said earlier this month that there needed to be progress on changing the law this summer to ensure that the league keeps its 2017 All-Star Game in Charlotte. Republican lawmakers on Thursday were mapping out the end of the session and weighing possible adjustments to House Bill 2, but there was no appetite to change the provision requiring transgender people to use restrooms corresponding to the sex on their birth certificates in schools, universities and many other public buildings. The law also excludes sexual orientation and gender identity from statewide anti-discrimination protections. "We remain committed to our guiding principles of inclusion, mutual respect and equal protections for all," the statement said. "We continue to believe that constructive engagement with all sides is the right path forward." The league and the Hornets said "no new decision" has been made regarding the 2017 All-Star Game. The Associated Press contributed to this report.
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