NBA Insider Explains Why Defending Champion Nuggets Canceled Trip to White House

The team won’t be making the trip this year.

The reigning NBA champion Denver Nuggets will no longer visit the White House to celebrate their title because of their hopes to take over the No. 1 seed in the Western Conference.

The Nuggets’ originally scheduled visit to the White House in late January was postponed to March 18 by the Biden administration due to a scheduling conflict, reporter Chris Haynes explained Thursday on the TNT broadcast.

But, now, the Nuggets are too focused on reaching the top spot and don’t want to be distracted.

“Just last week I was informed that the Nuggets were concerned now because all of a sudden, after March 18, on March 19, they play the Minnesota Timberwolves in Minnesota, and now that game is a little bit more important than they had expected when they did reschedule,” Haynes said Thursday night. “The Nuggets made a tough decision, but they’re canceling that trip to the White House. ... I want to make this clear, it was clearly a basketball decision.”

Sources: With Denver Nuggets prioritizing No. 1 seed and a pivotal matchup at Minnesota upcoming, I explain on @NBAonTNT why the champs have elected not to visit The White House. pic.twitter.com/cjc4fwGE0O

— Chris Haynes (@ChrisBHaynes) March 8, 2024

Both the Nuggets and the Biden administration wanted to make the visit work out, but it didn't this time around, Haynes emphasized.

As of Thursday, the Timberwolves hold the No. 1 spot with a 43–19 record, and the Nuggets are just one game back in the No. 3 spot.