Chinese State Media Promising 'Retribution' Against Adam Silver Sounds Scary

All Houston Rockets general manager Daryl Morey did was sent out of a tweet of support for pro-democracy protesters in Hong Kong. Since then, NBA commissioner Adam Silver has been trying to repair a fraying relationship between the NBA and the basketball establishment in China.

Well, it's not currently going very well, as Silver has admitted that the Chinese government wanted Morey to be fired for his tweet, something Silver insisted wouldn't happen.

Chinese authorities have since denied that such a demand ever occurred-- but state-owned media outlets are now suggesting there will be "retribution" against Silver.

Check out what was written in the South China Morning Post:

Chinese state media has warned that NBA commissioner Adam Silver will face “retribution” for defaming China in the latest twist to a dispute that began with a basketball team executive tweeting his support for the pro-democracy protests in Hong Kong...

“Silver has spared no effort to portray himself as a fighter for free speech and used freedom of speech as an excuse to cover for Morey, who voiced his support for the violent actors in Hong Kong,” it said. “This has crossed the bottom line of the Chinese people.”

Silver’s handling of the controversy had proved his “double standards”, the broadcaster said, adding that he had “defamed” China on the international stage.

“To please some American politicians, Silver has fabricated lies out of nothing and has sought to paint China as unforgiving,” it said.

How China will get their "retribution" against Silver for his comments presumably has something to do with the NBA's bottom line -- which they've already done pretty successfully -- but the vague nature of this apparent threat is chilling all the same.