Today in 2019: Daryl Morey’s Hong Kong tweet ignites firestorm

It was October 4, 2019, when the Houston Rockets GM tweeted an image with the words “Fight for Freedom: Stand with Hong Kong.”

Sunday represents the one-year anniversary since Houston Rockets GM Daryl Morey unintentionally sparked a firestorm with a tweeted image in support of a Hong Kong protest movement related to China.

On Oct. 4, 2019, Morey tweeted an image that read “Fight for Freedom, Stand with Hong Kong.” Within an hour, Rockets owner Tilman Fertitta clarified with his own tweet that the team is “NOT a political organization,” but that wasn’t enough to stop the backlash from China.

By the end of the weekend, Chinese officials had asked NBA Commissioner Adam Silver to fire Morey for his remarks. However, both the league and the Rockets stood by the GM, citing a right to freedom of expression. Many prominent U.S. politicians of both major parties jumped in the fray, as well, with a bipartisan movement of support for Morey.

The NBA’s decision to back Morey’s freedom of expression initially led to an apparent boycott of the league in China. In February 2020, Silver said the NBA could lose $400 million as a result of the fallout.

As the 2019-20 season moved along, the initially icy relationship between China and the NBA did show signs of thawing. However, as of the 2020 playoffs, Chinese networks still did not air Rockets games — even against LeBron James and the star-studded Los Angeles Lakers. By contrast, playoff games involving all other teams were shown.

Since drafting Yao Ming as the No. 1 overall pick in the 2002 NBA Draft, the Rockets have been arguably the most visible NBA franchise in China. Meanwhile, with 16 total NBA titles, the Lakers are probably the most prestigious basketball franchise in the world. The fact that a Rockets-Lakers matchup in the playoffs — the first since 2009 — wasn’t shown in China offered a strong signal as to the extent of the discord.

One year later, here’s a look back at key dates in this ongoing storyline.

October 4, 2019: Fertitta distances Rockets from Daryl Morey’s Hong Kong tweet

October 6, 2019: Chinese groups suspend ties with Rockets after Daryl Morey’s tweet

October 6, 2019: Report: Rockets have discussed removing Morey over China fallout

October 6, 2019: U.S. presidential candidate Yang blasts Chinese response to Rockets

October 6, 2019: Sam Amick refutes report of Daryl Morey’s job being in jeopardy

October 6, 2019: Rockets GM Daryl Morey, NBA issue statements on China incident

October 6, 2019: U.S. Senator Ted Cruz joins wave of politicians to support Daryl Morey

October 7, 2019: NBA commissioner backs Daryl Morey’s freedom of expression

October 7, 2019: China cancels planned G League exhibition with Rockets’ affiliate

October 7, 2019: James Harden, Russell Westbrook show support for Chinese fans

October 7, 2019: Democratic favorite Warren slams NBA’s response to Morey tweet

October 8, 2019: Chinese backlash expands beyond Rockets as NBA stiffens statement

October 8, 2019: James Harden, Mike D’Antoni downplay questions about China

October 9, 2019: U.S. lawmakers call out China’s selective treatment of Rockets

October 9, 2019: Report: China fallout could cost Rockets $10 million to $25 million

October 10, 2019: NBA objects to Rockets’ handling of media question about China

October 13, 2019: James Harden on Rockets’ China controversy: ‘I’m staying out of it’

October 14, 2019: Report: At least two Rockets had sponsorship talks stall in China

October 14, 2019: LeBron James blasts Rockets’ GM Daryl Morey over Hong Kong tweet

October 17, 2019: Adam Silver said ‘no chance’ when China asked to fire Daryl Morey

October 22, 2019: Shaquille O’Neal says Rockets GM Daryl Morey was right on China

October 24, 2019: Rockets GM Daryl Morey returns to Twitter after lengthy hiatus

October 25, 2019: Poll: Americans back Rockets’ GM Daryl Morey on Hong Kong, China

November 12, 2019: Report: Chinese backlash costing Rockets over $7 million this season

January 17, 2020: James Harden, Houston Rockets move up NBA merchandise lists

January 18, 2020: Former Rocket Dwight Howard avoids questions on Morey, China

February 16, 2020: Adam Silver: NBA could lose up to $400 million from China fallout

May 18, 2020: President Donald Trump on Rockets GM Daryl Morey: ‘He must be pretty good’

June 6, 2020: Tilman Fertitta sees nothing wrong with Morey’s Hong Kong tweet

July 25, 2020: Steve Kerr regrets his initial comments about Daryl Morey, China

September 4, 2020: Report: Rockets-Lakers series not expected to be shown in China

September 15, 2020: Rockets owner Tilman Fertitta: ‘Morey’s job is safe’

 

Now 48 years old, Morey has worked as Houston’s GM since 2007, and he’s one of the league’s most respected executives. Morey was voted Executive of the Year by his peers in 2018, and his Rockets now have the NBA’s longest streak of consecutive playoff appearances, at eight years.

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Amidst NBA attempts to return, China TV says they won’t air games

If the NBA ultimately to central locations to resume the season, Chinese TV won’t be a part of the NBA recouping any lost dollars.

Having already sustained massive financial losses prior to the global pandemic this season due to the fallout from Daryl Morey’s pro-Hong Kong tweets that the Chinese government officially believes violated their national sovereignty, the NBA was already exploring new avenues, such as expanding the G League with blue-chip recruits like Jalen Green, in hopes of driving revenue. And that’s smart because as the NBA attempts to resume the season and salvage what they can of it financially, even without fans, China won’t be there to help them.

China TV released a statement, reported by ESPN’s Brian Windhorst, that Chinese TV does not intend to air NBA games, even if the league does return.

CCTV shut down that speculation, however, releasing a statement on Weibo, a Chinese social media platform, “reiterating its consistent stance on national sovereignty.”

Adam Silver has stated during All-Star Weekend that the NBA has lost over $300 million as a league due to the reaction to Morey’s tweet from Chinese corporations who were league partners, which are essentially all run by the state.

The NBA has made staffing changes to the NBA China office, but a change in the status between the two sides appears to be very slow.