The entire China drama has taken on a whole new meaning around the NBA following comments by the game’s best-known player, LeBron James.
It’s a difficult situation. That much is known. However, NBA Commissioner Adam Silver has made it clear in more ways than one that Houston Rockets general manager Daryl Morey had every right to express his support for pro-democracy protesters in Hong Kong.
Silver has now doubled down. In a recent interview with “Good Morning America” anchor Robin Roberts, the commish noted that the Chinese government requested him to fire Morey. Silver was in no way going to oblige.
“We made it clear that we were being asked to fire him, by the Chinese government, by the parties we dealt with, government and business,” Silver said. “We said there’s no chance that’s happening. There’s no chance we’ll even discipline him.”
The NBA itself is preparing for financial ramifications stemming from Morey’s tweets and the response from the communist regime in Beijing.
Even then, it’s clear that Silver has Morey’s back. While the same can’t be said about LeBron James and Co., this is all that really matters.