Outspoken nationalist newspaper Global Times went further in an article headlined “Naming native Chinese as NBA China boss ‘not enough’ to win mainland market back”. The article cited “prominent commentators and fans” who noted that if the NBA “wants to win its way back to the Chinese mainland market, it should properly handle Houston Rockets general manager Daryl Morey”. Short of putting his head on a spike, colleagues in Chinese sports media say that means the NBA must fire him – and that they can see no other option.