Here’s some free advice for NBC Commissioner Adam Silver and it’s and probably worth exactly what he’s paying for it.
Dear Adam: You’ve been to China. Congratulations.
You didn’t apologize or forsake our rights to freedom of expression. But none of that worked.
The Chinese communists aren’t going to play patty cake until you get down on your knees, pucker up and grovel at their feet.
Now that you’re back in the good ol’ US of A, do what any smart lawyer would do. Take your basketballs and go home.
This is trick or treat time for the USA and the NBA. 
Have you got the cojones to call China’s bluff?
It’s their choice
Let China do without the NBA’s games. Let them censor games and mess with the Chinese people’s favorite TV sport. See how long it takes for protesters to take to the streets in Beijing.
If they think Hong Kong is bad, let the dictators get a taste of it on the mainland.
So what if Beijing is upset by a deleted tweet in support of Hong Kong protesters from the Houston Rockets GM Daryl Morey. 
In the USA, fans are upset that your league let totalitarian bullies push you around.
Ted Cruz and Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez may not agree on much, but they agree your league bungled the China deal.
Are you a hypocrite?
So what if you are at the bottom of the pile-on. You’ve been the one who gracefully navigated between players and owners.
Now you’re being called a hypocrite who caved to authoritarian pressure when money was on the line. 
“I’ve never hidden from the fact that we are also a business and that many of the situations we’ve dealt with are highly complex,” you told Jason Gay of The Wall Street Journal. “I’ve tried to avoid playing politics and adhere to our values. I felt in this case that one of our core values, freedom of expression, was adhered to.
“I also say that one [value] that seems to be used against me is this notion of respect. That’s always been one of our core values. 
“To show respect for the people of China – to me, that was then twisted and turned into an apology. 
“Respect is respect. I continue to be a believer in diplomacy, and diplomacy doesn’t necessarily mean that you park your core values at the curb. But it means showing sensitivity.” 
Trick or treat?
Perhaps you have been too cautious. Don’t try diplomacy with dictators who will accept nothing less than unconditional surrender.
Whatever you say or do will be used against you.   By doing nothing, you let the popularity of the NBA games sell themselves.
That’s your trick or treat.

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