Lebron asked Silver what he would do about Morey - ESPN

[E-Balla]

Why do you think safety is the issue that was most concerning Lebron? Most people (including myself), thinks its the financial issue given his ties with Lebron that worried/annoyed Lebron.

Lebron's words would be my first source.

And he mentioned financial concerns. Moreover, if "safety" was the prime issue on his mind, then he did a really really poor job of convincing all of us that this was the case.

Why the hell would he need to convince you of a damn thing when you already had your mind made up?

[mtron929]

Lebron's words would be my first source.

And he mentioned financial concerns. Moreover, if "safety" was the prime issue on his mind, then he did a really really poor job of convincing all of us that this was the case.

Why the hell would he need to convince you of a damn thing when you already had your mind made up?

My mind made up about what? Before Lebron made his comments, I had zero opinions of Lebron on this matter.

[dhsilv2]

And he mentioned financial concerns. Moreover, if "safety" was the prime issue on his mind, then he did a really really poor job of convincing all of us that this was the case.

Why the hell would he need to convince you of a damn thing when you already had your mind made up?

My mind made up about what? Before Lebron made his comments, I had zero opinions of Lebron on this matter.

Did you watch the full 7 minute interview or just this one part?

I'll be honest my reading of his statements were very different when I watched the full thing. When I just saw the quick clip, I assumed money as well. Once I saw the whole thing and all his responses, it came off pretty clearly mostly to be about safety of the players.

[RB34]

That was a quote of MLK on MLK day.

Separately, when he ACTUALLY took a political stand that upset people, it was years ago. As we all age we find less outward things that we feel we need to voice an opinion on. That's just natural.

I doubt lebron ever stops speaking on issues he cares about. I however don't expect him to speak up on every single injustice he sees. Who has time for that?

So, he just tweeted those words for likes and he doesn’t actually care about the message at all?

Do you hold every person you know who quotes/tweets/away messages/calendars or whatever else to live their life to the standards of inspirational quotes?

Do you realize lebron is a 30 something year old human being? He is not a magical being or some kinda of greek god...[/quote

Give LBJ a little more credit than that, he’s not some ignorant teenage girl. He knows exactly what he is doing.

[MrCheerios]

Kap didn't put nfl player's safety at risk while in a foreign country. Morey's tweet did just that. If he'd waited a week or two to make the tweet we'd be having a different conversation.

Lebron asked a QUESTION. Nowhere in anything have I seen a quote where Lebron asked for Morey to be punished...did I miss it or are you attempting to put words in lebron's mouth?

From the article:
"Silver opened the floor. James raised his hand.

His question was related to Morey -- and the commissioner's handling of the Rockets' GM. James, to paraphrase, told Silver that he knew that if a player caused the same type of uproar with something he said or tweeted, the player wouldn't be able to skate on it. There would be some type of repercussion. So, James wanted to know, what was Silver going to do about it in Morey's case?"

Maybe you think the article paraphrased Lebron incorrectly.

Lebron's direct quote on question about what should happen to Morey:

"Do you think Daryl should have been reprimanded for that?"

"I think that's another situation that should stay behind closed doors... I think when we all sit back and learn from the situation that happened, understand that what you could tweet or could say... We all talk about this freedom of speech. Yes, we all do have freedom of speech, but at times there are ramifications for the negative that can happen when you're not thinking about others, and you're only thinking about yourself.
...
Even though yes, we do have freedom of speech, but there can be a lot of negative that comes with that too."

So again Lebron did not ask for him to be punished. Exactly what I said.

When asked if Morey should be reprimanded Lebron said it should stay behind closed doors, but that there are ramifications to negative things that happen from free speech. Read that however you will. I've supported Lebron as a basketball fan and as an admirer of his humanitarian efforts and even I can read between the lines there.

[California Gold]

Player safety. Ha. Some people here are so gullible.

[mtron929]

Why the hell would he need to convince you of a damn thing when you already had your mind made up?

My mind made up about what? Before Lebron made his comments, I had zero opinions of Lebron on this matter.

Did you watch the full 7 minute interview or just this one part?

I'll be honest my reading of his statements were very different when I watched the full thing. When I just saw the quick clip, I assumed money as well. Once I saw the whole thing and all his responses, it came off pretty clearly mostly to be about safety of the players.

Yup. Watched the whole clip. Don't see it. And from the reactions, it seems like most people agree with my assessment compared to yours.

[GeorgeMarcus]

Boo LeBron is what I say to this. His motives were clear as day.

Hats off to Silver for his response.

[G35]

Well no... You're literally arguing that everyone who's ever cared about anything is a hypocrite. This is some strong nihilism...

That is not what I am saying. I'm saying be consistent, I know this is the era of not caring about anything, you can change your mind at anytime, you can not hold people to any standard because feelings, shoot people aren't even consistent on who their team is anymore. Lebron fans jump from Cleveland to Miami to the Lakers and wonder why anybody questions why.

I am saying be consistent in your values. If you care about something, then don't stop caring because money gets involved.

I understand that Lebron is considering the economic impact on the NBA, the players, and himself. This is why people say stick to basketball because you can't "stop caring" because now it hits your pockets.

There's a gap between domestic social justice and international politics. The main difference being LeBron can do something about one of those things and not the other. Nothing LeBron can do will change the situation in Hong Kong. Period. Meanwhile him making more people aware in the US makes a difference.

There is no gap between social justice in the US and anywhere else in the world. Nobody is asking Lebron to do anything other than be consistent. Lebron's platform does not stop at the US borders. What he says will be argued around the world and they aren't arguing semantics in other countries.

But he didn't flip flop. At all. You can't explain to me how he flip flopped or how his stance was because of the money or what he was supposed to do about HK. Like he said that's a fight for them, not him. He's an American, I don't think its hypocritical to want to clean your home before projecting your values onto other societies.

He clearly did and you clearly are caping for Lebron. Again, no one is asking Lebron to do anything in China. Stop using a strawman. Lebron didn't say anything until he left China, so he obviously is not going to fight China. If he were he had the opportunity. Lebron has not cleaned up anything in the US. There were people working on these issues before Lebron and there will be people working on after Lebron is long gone. He's not the first one to put his name on a school and he won't be the last. He will not go down like he is Muhammad Ali, neither will Kaepernick. These social media platform warriors only talk the talk and back down when the heat gets too hot......

[Chinook]

I thought it was more like Lebron wanted Morey to be held responsible for the ruckus he caused. I don't know that that means that he wanted him fired. I haven't read much more than the story that came out a few days ago where this was mentioned previously, but from that, it just seemed like he didn't want players forced to bear the brunt of a GM's words.

Silver's mostly correct, but at the same time, what players say really doesn't hurt GM's or even owner's wallets. If Lebron said something against the military or racist or something that didn't have broad support among the viewer base, the League would step in and sanction them. We see that multiple times a season.

Yes WE see a huge difference between homophobic language and that criticizing China. But I'm not sure the NBA really cares beyond the optics. Criticizing Trump is fine optically, and that's why the NBA doesn't punish players. China is a different matter, and I do wonder if it were something where a player started this if it would have ended the same way.

Plus yeah, it sucks to lose endorsements because of what some other guy said. It's an American value for the government to not impede your right to free speech. There's nothing that says your colleagues have to bare the punishment with you.

[Spintown]

oh lawd Jesus.... Qing James is like the gift that keeps on giving.

HE is the one who wanted Morey fired after all right? It was all hints and rumours before BUT now? Icing on the cake.

also.. good of Silver to say that to lefraud... Defend free speech ESPECIALLY if its no popular to do so

I wonder where that free speech argument is when players and coaches get fined for expressing it, but now GMs aren't held accountable

Just wondering, who got fined for free speech?

Players and Coaches get fined all the time for saying anything about the refs. Also mahmoud abdul-rauf was the orginial kaepernick and was suspended and fined for not standing for the national anthem.

[Showdown]

there's nothing communist about China, 70% of their businesses are privately owned. They're authoritarian capitalists.

Stop buying into red scare propaganda and sinophobia there's plenty wrong with China without having to lie.

First off, I know someone personally... as in lived in my house, that spent years in mainland China. I don't need some guy on the internet to explain to me what China is actually like. He had pictures of the Tienanmen's Square protests he smuggled out by the way. If If I have sinophobia (I certainly don't bear any ill will towards people of Chinese descent, heck I'm here defending Hong Kong) it is due to first hand accounts of what happens in mainland China.

He had a lot of respect and admiration for the Chinese people, but everything he said about the country was basically a reflection of how messed up it was. He had to smuggle the pictures out. He had to smuggle basic things out otherwise it would have been disallowed. If the government found out what his family was up to (English teachers but also Christian missionaries) they would have been imprisoned.

He didn't even try to speak poorly of China, but just casual conversation revealed disturbing details. For instance, he once saw a kid playing with a ball in the street. It turns out he was playing with a dog's eyeball. Or how about the fact that Tienanmen's Square pictures depicted people making signs in their own blood. I wasn't even paying attention at the time because I didn't have a lot of geographical knowledge back then, but that country was obviously, incredibly screwed up. You contrast that with Hong Kong and you see why they are so terrified of losing what they have to their backwards cousins.

It amazes me though that your attempts to deflect go so far as to criticize my use of the label communist, when the name is literally "Communist Party of China". I do commend you on finally admitting there's something wrong with China, there's hope for you yet. Having said that, forgiving their encroachments into Hong Kong simply because Hong Kong still has freedom left is not ok.

You think China is just going to stop? They're going to go ok, we have enough control over Hong Kong, we're done now? Nope, they won't stop until one side wins or loses. Everyone knows that...

So North Korea is a democratic republic like the US then?

And yeah everyone knows that, but Hong Kong isn't fighting for independence so everything you're saying is irrelevant. Hong Kong isn't even fighting to keep their current rights anymore, they got that. They're fighting against police corruption. Knowing someone that left doesn't mean you're updated in what's happening now and it doesn't mean my comment that people in HK are more free than people here is wrong, because by all objective measures they are.

Remove quote from your signature because it makes you even bigger hypocrite than Lebron because defending communist crimes is opposite from that message.

[JayMKE]

Lebron is a card carrying member it seems like, you know he'd join if he thought it would further himself. Just a selfish egotistical person who hasn't had anybody tell him **** stinks in 20 years.

[Ecmic]

Why the hell would he need to convince you of a damn thing when you already had your mind made up?

My mind made up about what? Before Lebron made his comments, I had zero opinions of Lebron on this matter.

Did you watch the full 7 minute interview or just this one part?

I'll be honest my reading of his statements were very different when I watched the full thing. When I just saw the quick clip, I assumed money as well. Once I saw the whole thing and all his responses, it came off pretty clearly mostly to be about safety of the players.

He mentioned safety exactly one time in passing, in the same breath as spirituality. In actuality, he said his ONLY focus was on whether the games would still be played, and he also stated his concern about various events that players had planned. He didn’t want to travel all the way to China for nothing, and he elucidated that’s point in several different ways.

If safety was a genuine concern, they wouldn’t have stayed in China for a week after the Tweet. I really doubt spirituality was a factor, either.

[E-Balla]

That is not what I am saying. I'm saying be consistent, I know this is the era of not caring about anything, you can change your mind at anytime, you can not hold people to any standard because feelings, shoot people aren't even consistent on who their team is anymore. Lebron fans jump from Cleveland to Miami to the Lakers and wonder why anybody questions why.

I am saying be consistent in your values. If you care about something, then don't stop caring because money gets involved.

I understand that Lebron is considering the economic impact on the NBA, the players, and himself. This is why people say stick to basketball because you can't "stop caring" because now it hits your pockets.

There's more than just the financial aspect to this and you know that. He didn't say Morey couldn't speak up. He said Morey should've waited a week and not put everyone in the NBA that was in China in harm's way. I don't see why that's such a controversial thing to say.

Plus I don't see how even if we focus on the financial aspect he's being a hypocrite at all. LeBron ain't out here taking stands like that. He didn't refuse to play when the Sterling situation went down. He didn't support a boycott of the NFL or the players taking a strike when Kaep was blackballed. LeBron's also been consistent in not talking about issues if he feels he doesn't know about them, I remember being mad he claimed he didn't know enough about Tamir Rice to speak out on his killing. He is who he's always been.

There is no gap between social justice in the US and anywhere else in the world. Nobody is asking Lebron to do anything other than be consistent. Lebron's platform does not stop at the US borders. What he says will be argued around the world and they aren't arguing semantics in other countries.

LeBron can't do **** for Hong Kong. Period. He can do **** for the US. With that in mind it makes sense he focuses on what he can affect.

And didn't you say you're not saying everyone is a hypocrite for not supporting everything and being well informed in every issue worldwide? Now you're saying he should know all issues worldwide?

He clearly did and you clearly are caping for Lebron.

Actually before LeBron ever said a damn thing I was on this site saying to Hong Kong is none of our business to butt into. If LeBron said the opposite of what he said I'd be rolling my eyes at him like I'm doing you guys. Short of WWIII bringing awareness to an issue of people in a city and their police force makes no sense.

Again, no one is asking Lebron to do anything in China. Stop using a strawman. Lebron didn't say anything until he left China, so he obviously is not going to fight China. If he were he had the opportunity. Lebron has not cleaned up anything in the US. There were people working on these issues before Lebron and there will be people working on after Lebron is long gone. He's not the first one to put his name on a school and he won't be the last. He will not go down like he is Muhammad Ali, neither will Kaepernick. These social media platform warriors only talk the talk and back down when the heat gets too hot......

Ah that's what it is, you just don't respect leaders. If you think Kaep and LeBron haven't accomplished anything you're smoking rocks.

[dhsilv2]

So, he just tweeted those words for likes and he doesn’t actually care about the message at all?

Do you hold every person you know who quotes/tweets/away messages/calendars or whatever else to live their life to the standards of inspirational quotes?

Do you realize lebron is a 30 something year old human being? He is not a magical being or some kinda of greek god...

Give LBJ a little more credit than that, he’s not some ignorant teenage girl. He knows exactly what he is doing.[/quote]

There's a world of difference in holding Lebron to the standards we'd hold say a 50 year old elected official and the standards of a teen. We call taht your 20's and 30's! A time when you're an adult but still learning how to actually be one. Lebron isn't some brilliant genius who calculates out every single part of his life. I'm sure he'd like to think he is, but come on.

[dhsilv2]

From the article:
"Silver opened the floor. James raised his hand.

His question was related to Morey -- and the commissioner's handling of the Rockets' GM. James, to paraphrase, told Silver that he knew that if a player caused the same type of uproar with something he said or tweeted, the player wouldn't be able to skate on it. There would be some type of repercussion. So, James wanted to know, what was Silver going to do about it in Morey's case?"

Maybe you think the article paraphrased Lebron incorrectly.

Lebron's direct quote on question about what should happen to Morey:

"Do you think Daryl should have been reprimanded for that?"

"I think that's another situation that should stay behind closed doors... I think when we all sit back and learn from the situation that happened, understand that what you could tweet or could say... We all talk about this freedom of speech. Yes, we all do have freedom of speech, but at times there are ramifications for the negative that can happen when you're not thinking about others, and you're only thinking about yourself.
...
Even though yes, we do have freedom of speech, but there can be a lot of negative that comes with that too."

So again Lebron did not ask for him to be punished. Exactly what I said.

When asked if Morey should be reprimanded Lebron said it should stay behind closed doors, but that there are ramifications to negative things that happen from free speech. Read that however you will. I've supported Lebron as a basketball fan and as an admirer of his humanitarian efforts and even I can read between the lines there.

Well as someone who doesn't like lebron as a player or person, I am not going to start putting words in his mouth. Especially when the sole reason to do so seems to be to attack the guy for not being consistent...as if anyone here is always completely consistent. It's just a stupid standard and only made worse by people looking to find the worst context possible for everything he says.

[dhsilv2]

My mind made up about what? Before Lebron made his comments, I had zero opinions of Lebron on this matter.

Did you watch the full 7 minute interview or just this one part?

I'll be honest my reading of his statements were very different when I watched the full thing. When I just saw the quick clip, I assumed money as well. Once I saw the whole thing and all his responses, it came off pretty clearly mostly to be about safety of the players.

He mentioned safety exactly one time in passing, in the same breath as spirituality. In actuality, he said his ONLY focus was on whether the games would still be played, and he also stated his concern about various events that players had planned. He didn’t want to travel all the way to China for nothing, and he elucidated that’s point in several different ways.

If safety was a genuine concern, they wouldn’t have stayed in China for a week after the Tweet. I really doubt spirituality was a factor, either.

players always have to bring religion into everything...I'm pretty sure every game winner ever had an angle holding the player like that crappy movie angles in the outfield. It was pretty clear where his mind was at and also that he really didn't want to say anything too directly either. But hey, feel free to disagree I guess. But lets avoid trying to put words in people's mouths too.

[MrCheerios]

So again Lebron did not ask for him to be punished. Exactly what I said.

When asked if Morey should be reprimanded Lebron said it should stay behind closed doors, but that there are ramifications to negative things that happen from free speech. Read that however you will. I've supported Lebron as a basketball fan and as an admirer of his humanitarian efforts and even I can read between the lines there.

Well as someone who doesn't like lebron as a player or person, I am not going to start putting words in his mouth. Especially when the sole reason to do so seems to be to attack the guy for not being consistent...as if anyone here is always completely consistent. It's just a stupid standard and only made worse by people looking to find the worst context possible for everything he says.

I'm not putting words in his mouth, I'm interpreting the words he used when asked whether Morey should be reprimanded. If a team owner talked about Kaepernick using the exact same words, calling him not educated and thinking only about himself, saying there are negative consequences to free speech, and then asking the commissioner on what he plans do about Kap then the intent is obvious.

Regardless of whether Lebron wanted Morey punished, which you disagree with, it's wrong for him to call him uneducated and selfish to begin with. I've heard those words used to describe Lebron for his views too. That was the whole basis behind "shut up and dribble" which Lebron seems to be supporting now.

[dhsilv2]

When asked if Morey should be reprimanded Lebron said it should stay behind closed doors, but that there are ramifications to negative things that happen from free speech. Read that however you will. I've supported Lebron as a basketball fan and as an admirer of his humanitarian efforts and even I can read between the lines there.

Well as someone who doesn't like lebron as a player or person, I am not going to start putting words in his mouth. Especially when the sole reason to do so seems to be to attack the guy for not being consistent...as if anyone here is always completely consistent. It's just a stupid standard and only made worse by people looking to find the worst context possible for everything he says.

I'm not putting words in his mouth, I'm interpreting the words he used when asked whether Morey should be reprimanded. If a team owner talked about Kaepernick using the exact same words, calling him not educated and thinking only about himself, saying there are negative consequences to free speech, and then asking the commissioner on what he plans do about Kap then the intent is obvious.

Regardless of whether Lebron wanted Morey punished, which you disagree with, it's wrong for him to call him uneducated and selfish to begin with. I've heard those words used to describe Lebron for his views too. That was the whole basis behind "shut up and dribble" which Lebron seems to be supporting now.

That tweet being done while nba players were in china was ignorant, reckless, and selfish. I don't have a problem saying that and I'm a Morey fan boy.

I'm not saying btw that Lebron didn't or doesn't want Morey punished. I am saying he did not actually say it. If lebron were an owner then the commissioner would be working for him and he should and would just tell the commissioner what he wanted. Owners don't need to pussyfoot around with the commissioner, doing so would imply they didn't have a strong view imo. Here lebron might think that...I don't know. I do think he felt there was a double standard between players and GM's and I think he's wrong about that. The rest of this feels like people wanting to pile on lebron. Maybe you're the exception.