SHANGHAI — The NBA’s relationship with basketball-mad China is frayed. Now the league has to see if it’s permanently broken.
Clearly U.S.-Sino relations are going through some drama, from trade wars to tariffs to tweets. The fundamental rift between communism and the American bedrock of free speech has bled over into basketball, threatening this week’s Nets-Lakers games, and much more.
China’s communist government is up in arms after Rockets GM Daryl Morey tweeted a meme urging people to “Fight For Freedom. Stand With Hong Kong,” and was further incensed by NBA commissioner Adam Silver backing Morey’s freedom of speech.