The NBA has "called off" the media availability for both the Lakers and Nets ahead of Saturday's game in Shenzhen, following a similar model used around Thursday's game in Shanghai amid the heightened tension between the league and China, according to Brian Lewis of the N.Y. POST. While the Chinese government made the call earlier this week, the NBA "finally got proactive and took matters into their own hands" for the Shenzhen game. The move comes without the league putting the teams, coaches or players "under any direct gag order." All the involved parties from the NBA "conferred internally and came to the decision together" (N.Y. POST, 10/11). ESPN.com's Dave McMenamin cites sources as saying that the league is making this decision "independent of Chinese authorities." Players from both teams remain "free to comment on the circumstances without NBA retribution." However, a source said that the policy was "discussed with players and representatives from the NBA players' association ... so the motivation to operate outside of the league's guidelines is negligible" (ESPN.com, 10/11).
SENDING MIXED SIGNALS: In San Antonio, Mike Finger notes it is possible that the NBA agreed to Thursday's media blackout "as a way to ensure the game could go on and that thousands of fans would not be disappointed." However, the move does not "exactly reinforce the idea that the league stands for free speech" (SAN ANTONIO EXPRESS-NEWS, 10/11). The WALL STREET JOURNAL's Jason Gay writes not making players available to the media after the game was an "odd concession after the embattled NBA had spent much of this week insisting it supported the right of its personnel to freely express themselves." Gay: "This trip feels like something to get home from as soon as possible" (WALL STREET JOURNAL, 10/11). THE RINGER's Dan Devine noted it is "possible that the league looked at it as something of a small mercy -- a chance to get out of town without any more on-the-record comments in the still-roiling shitstorm for another day or so." But the "longer this all goes on, the more questions the league will have to answer" (THERINGER.com, 10/10).
FAIR OR FOUL? The NBA said that the Rockets "erred in shutting down a reporter's question" to Rockets Gs James Harden and Russell Westbrook on Thursday about the China controversy. CNN's Christina Macfarlane asked them about players "being comfortable speaking out about social and political issues in the future." A Rockets media official immediately interjected with, "Excuse me, we're taking basketball questions only." Macfarlane responded, "It's a legitimate question." The Rockets official: "It's not" (HOUSTON CHRONICLE, 10/11). NBA Exec VP/Communications Mike Bass later "apologized for the incident," and NBA Senior VP/Basketball Communications Tim Frank "called Macfarlane to personally apologize" (CNN.com, 10/11). Macfarlane: "I appreciated the apology. They're doing the best they can in a very difficult situation. It feels like they're conflicted about how to respond to these kinds of questions" (WASHINGTON POST, 10/11). The Ringer's Ryen Russillo said the NBA is saying to league employees and team staff, "It's not that we don't want you to fight for the unjust. We just want you to shut the (expletive) up and do the job that we hired you to do. That's it. That's all it is" ("The Ryen Russillo Podcast," 10/9).
MUCH AT STAKE: CNBC's Jabari Young reported NBA agents are "telling their clients, 'If you cannot come up with a respectful answer, stay away from it altogether,' because there's too much money at risk. There's too much to lose." Young said a "lot of NBA players go overseas every summer to endorse their product, to endorse their sneakers, all of their brand," and this is "not just a salary hit, it's a brand hit." Young added this controversy is "interrupting the natural business" of the league because "when you go to games, the tension is there." Young: "Guys don't really want to talk. They don't want anything to do with the topic of what's going on. ... They do not want China to be the discussion right now" ("Power Lunch," CNBC, 10/10).
