In the aftermath of China’s heavy-handed response to Rockets general manager Daryl Morey’s tweet in support of Hong Kong protesters (who are trying to maintain and expand their freedoms), NBA commissioner Adam Silver said “I don’t know where we go from here.”
Not out of China.
Ben Cohen of The Wall Street Journal:
The NBA season starts tonight. We talked to commissioner Adam Silver yesterday about the biggest story in the league. https://t.co/IsBcFImNz4
— Ben Cohen (@bzcohen) October 22, 2019
Silver in @WSJ interview:
— Ben Cohen (@bzcohen) October 22, 2019
- China situation was "a perfect storm"
- NBA was "collateral damage" in trade talks
- He was on a flight without WiFi when story broke
- He still hasn't spoken to Yao
- "It was incumbent on me to look to de-escalate."
- "I hear some people saying that we should disengage from China, and I respectfully disagree."
— Ben Cohen (@bzcohen) October 22, 2019
- "I read what I see as, to me, cartoonish characterizations of business."
- "Isolationism doesn’t make sense in this highly interconnected world. We have no choice but to engage."
Silver has made a compelling case that the NBA can spread the values it espouses – including free expression – by doing business around the world. Economic relationships foster connection between people.
Of course, continuing to do business in China is also how the NBA maximizes its revenue. That’s more than just convenient.
The NBA does have a chose whether or not to engage in China. It’s a complicated choice. But the league is not beholden to continue doing business there.
It’s questionable how well Silver’s attempts to deescalate are working. Chinese state media said Silver will face retribution for saying China’s government asked for Morey to be fired.
One thing that will help the NBA repair its relationship with Chinese business interests: Everyone around the league seems afraid to address the China-Hong Kong issue. Nobody wants to follow Morey into the center of a geopolitical firestorm and cost the NBA money.
That ought to raise questions about just how the NBA-China is working.