With just one tweet, Daryl Morey set off a geopolitical firestorm.
The Rockets general manager found himself at the center of controversy after he sent out a seemingly straightforward message on social media. But Morey's six-word post pushed the NBA into a difficult dilemma with China, and there doesn't appear to be a simple resolution in sight.
Here's how the situation started, the intense reactions that followed and what could come next.
MORE: LeBron's hypocrisy hits hardest with comments about Morey, not China itself
What did Daryl Morey tweet?
In a since-deleted tweet on Oct. 4, Morey shared an image with this slogan: "Fight for Freedom, Stand with Hong Kong."
Why did the tweet spark so much controversy?
Morey inadvertently inserted the NBA into the middle of a heated debate over civil rights and extradition laws.
A piece of legislation introduced over the summer in Hong Kong proposed the ability to extradite criminal suspects back to China, dropping them into a Chinese justice system in which most criminal trials end in a conviction. There were immediate concerns about protecting the civil rights of citizens and preventing them from being targeted unfairly.
The nature of the bill inspired numerous anti-government, pro-democracy protests, and some of the demonstrations turned violent. Chief Executive of Hong Kong Carrie Lam later declared the bill "dead" but only withdrew it after months of protestors demanding she formally do so.
How did the Rockets and China react?
Rockets owner Tilman Fertitta quickly distanced the organization from Morey's comments, and Morey later walked back his statement. All-Star guard James Harden also publicly apologized to China in the aftermath of Morey's tweet.
The Ringer's John Gonzalez reported that Morey's job may be in jeopardy, but The Athletic's Sam Amick shot down the idea that Morey could be fired, citing two sources close to Rockets ownership. When asked about the reports, Fertitta called Morey the "best general manager in the league" and said "everything is fine with me and Daryl."
Listen....@dmorey does NOT speak for the @HoustonRockets. Our presence in Tokyo is all about the promotion of the @NBA internationally and we are NOT a political organization. @espn https://t.co/yNyQFtwTTi
— Tilman Fertitta (@TilmanJFertitta) October 5, 2019
1/ I did not intend my tweet to cause any offense to Rockets fans and friends of mine in China. I was merely voicing one thought, based on one interpretation, of one complicated event. I have had a lot of opportunity since that tweet to hear and consider other perspectives.
— Daryl Morey (@dmorey) October 7, 2019
2/ I have always appreciated the significant support our Chinese fans and sponsors have provided and I would hope that those who are upset will know that offending or misunderstanding them was not my intention. My tweets are my own and in no way represent the Rockets or the NBA.
— Daryl Morey (@dmorey) October 7, 2019
In the eyes of China's leadership, Morey represented a foreign power encouraging these demonstrations. The Chinese consulate in Houston denounced Morey's tweet, saying it was "deeply shocked" by his "erroneous comments." The Chinese Basketball Association ceased all cooperation with the Rockets, and CCTV, the state-run television station, has suspended broadcasts of games.
China's Education Bureau also canceled a scheduled NBA Cares event in Shanghai. The NBA and the Nets were set to dedicate a Learn and Play Center at a local school. A separate NBA Cares event involving the Lakers was also canceled only hours before its scheduled start time.
Nets owner Joseph Tsai, co-founder of the Chinese company Alibaba, offered his own personal response to the "third-rail issue" with a lengthy Facebook post, claiming that "1.4 billion Chinese citizens stand united when it comes to the territorial integrity of China and the country’s sovereignty over her homeland." Tsai said he would accept Morey's "apology" but added "the hurt that this incident has caused will take a long time to repair."
And what about the NBA?
The NBA issued an initial statement that was roundly criticized by U.S. politicians on both sides of the aisle for choosing financial interests over human rights.
Here is that statement in full:
We recognize that the views expressed by Houston Rockets general manager Daryl Morey have deeply offended many of our friends and fans in China, which is regrettable. While Daryl has made it clear that his tweet does not represent the Rockets or the NBA, the values of the league support individuals' educating themselves and sharing their views on matters important to them.
We have great respect for the history and culture of China and hope that sports and the NBA can be used as a unifying force to bridge cultural divides and bring people together.
NBA commissioner Adam Silver then attempted to clarify the league's stance with a follow-up statement in which he claimed the NBA is about "far more than growing our business."
"It is inevitable that people around the world — including from America and China — will have different viewpoints over different issues," Silver said. "It is not the role of the NBA to adjudicate those differences.
"However, the NBA will not put itself in a position of regulating what players, employees and team owners say or will not say on these issues. We simply could not operate that way."
Why does the NBA's relationship with China matter?
China has been a major market for the NBA ever since the Rockets selected Chinese center Yao Ming with the No. 1 overall pick in the 2002 draft. Yao is one of the most important figures in the history of the sport in terms of the globalization of the NBA. His mere presence allowed the Rockets to become China's team. By 2006, Houston forward Tracy McGrady had the top-selling jersey in China, even above Yao.
Nearly a decade removed from Yao's retirement, the Rockets are considered the second-most popular team in China, according to a recent study, behind only the Warriors. Golden State features two-time MVP Stephen Curry and five-time All-Star Klay Thompson, who has an exclusive shoe deal with Chinese company Anta.
The doors Yao opened into the Chinese market have allowed the league to build a multibillion-dollar relationship. The NBA has a deal in place with Tencent, a streaming platform which has temporarily suspended broadcasts, reportedly worth $1.5 billion, and NBA China is worth more than $4 billion, according to Forbes.
Two Chinese companies — sportswear brand Li-Ning and Shanghai Pudong Development Bank — have suspended their sponsorship agreements with the Rockets, according to Reuters.
What happens next between the NBA and China?
Silver, speaking to "Good Morning America" co-host Robin Roberts at the TIME 100 Health Summit, claimed that Chinese leadership requested Morey be fired. (Chinese Foreign Ministry spokesman Geng Shuang said no such demand was made by the Chinese government, according to the Associated Press.)
"We made clear that we were being asked to fire [Morey], 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."
Silver was surprised by the blowback because he felt the NBA had taken a "principled position" and hadn't "acquiesced" to China. He pointed to not only future monetary losses but also the instant impact of CCTV and Tencent suspending game broadcasts.
"The losses have already been substantial," Silver said. "Our games are not back on the air in China as we speak, and we’ll see what happens next. ... The financial consequences have been and may continue to be fairly dramatic."
