The National Basketball Association came to the side of the oppressive Chinese government and delivered a sharp rebuke to Houston Rockets General Manager Daryl Morey, after he tweeted his support for pro-democracy demonstrators in Hong Kong.

Over the weekend, Morey tweeted “Fight for freedom, stand with Hong Kong,” siding with the pro-democracy forces facing down Chinese security forces that have been flooding into Hong Kong from mainland China.

But the pro-democracy tweet brought immediate rebuke from officials in the NBA and even from Morey’s own team. Morey soon deleted the tweet and apologized.

“I did not intend my tweet to cause any offense to Rockets fans and friends of mine in China,” Morey insisted.

2/ I have always appreciated the significant support our Chinese fans and sponsors have provided and I would hope that those who are upset will know that offending or misunderstanding them was not my intention. My tweets are my own and in no way represent the Rockets or the NBA. — Daryl Morey (@dmorey) October 7, 2019

Regardless, the league quickly pushed out a statement slapping Morey down and trying to make amends with their business partners in China.

We recognize that the views expressed by Houston Rockets General Manager Daryl Morey have deeply offended many of our friends and fans in China, which is regrettable. While Daryl has made it clear that his tweet does not represent the Rockets or the NBA, the values of the league support individuals’ educating themselves and sharing their views on matters important to them. We have great respect for the history and culture of China and hope that sports and the NBA can be used as a unifying force to bridge cultural divides and bring people together

This is the same league that canceled games in North Carolina because the Tar Heel State had a “human rights abusing” transgender bathroom law. But they seem to have no problem with China, one of the most oppressive nations in the world with one of the worst human rights records of any modern nation.

Maybe it’s all because of the money the NBA is making as it tries to expand into foreign markets?

The repercussions of Morey’s tweet and the NBA’s response have been reverberating all across the league.

Immediately, there were stories claiming that Morey could be fired for daring to support the democracy movement in Hong Kong, though the NBA, at least, said there will be no official action taken against the GM for his tweet.

Rockets Owner Tilman Fertitta told ESPN that Morey’s job is not in jeopardy.

The Chinese Basketball Association also jumped into action and officially cut ties with the Houston Rockets.

Outkick the Coverage’s Clay Travis wondered if some of the NBA’s most “woke” would respond:

Will outspoken NBA woke activists @SteveKerr, @KingJames & Greg Popovich stand up for Daryl Morey and his support of democracy in Hong Kong? They’re awfully outspoken about Trump. Surely they’ll condemn the NBA bending the knee to China over a GM’s support for democracy, right? — Clay Travis (@ClayTravis) October 7, 2019

This NBA-Hong Kong-China mess is fascinating. The NBA is super woke when it comes to things like made up US transgender bathroom disputes, but bent the knee to China when Daryl Morey came out in support of democracy & upset communists. Shows you how hypocritical the league is. — Clay Travis (@ClayTravis) October 7, 2019

Travis also wondered is super woke ESPN, which is broadcasting from China this week, will side with democracy or with oppressors:

ESPN is set to broadcast from China this week. The woke league with the woke broadcasting network. All shilling for Chinese communists. Y’all think they’ll say anything at all? Ha ha. The hypocrisy is crazy. When the NBA pulled out of Charlotte ESPN praised them to high heavens. pic.twitter.com/Y3ZySBJc7c — Clay Travis (@ClayTravis) October 7, 2019

But while the NBA seems prepared to side with human rights abusers in China, a bi-partisan group of politicians do not, including pols who usually stand on the opposite side of the issues, such as Ted Cruz and Eric Swalwell.

We’re better than this; human rights shouldn’t be for sale & the NBA shouldn’t be assisting Chinese communist censorship. — Ted Cruz (@tedcruz) October 7, 2019

China is using its economic power to silence critics—even those in the U.S. The United States must lead with our values and speak out for pro-democracy protestors in Hong Kong, and not allow American citizens to be bullied by an authoritarian government. https://t.co/87U4jgsAAp — Julián Castro (@JulianCastro) October 7, 2019

It’s clear that the @NBA is more interested in money than human rights. Tonight’s statement from Commissioner Silver is an absolute joke. The NBA is kowtowing to Beijing to protect their bottom line and disavowing those with the temerity to #standwithHongKong. Shameful! https://t.co/RBPJa04xzK — Rick Scott (@SenRickScott) October 7, 2019

Listen….some things are more important than money. Like doing the right thing. @dmorey tweeted about human rights and supporting #HongKongProtests. How ironic that you’re siding with communism to advance your greed. https://t.co/RoyJ3o3bbY — Rep. Eric Swalwell (@RepSwalwell) October 7, 2019

Senator Ben Sasse (R, Neb) also took a stick to the NBA saying the league’s shameful apology for Morey’s tweet puts the concerns of the oppressive Chinese government and the NBA’s lust for money ahead of democracy for Hong Kong.

“Basketball fans and the American people more broadly should have absolutely no doubt about what is happening here: The NBA wants money, and the Communist Party of China is asking them to deny the most basic of human rights. In response, the NBA issued a statement saying money is the most important thing,” Sasse said in a statement Monday morning.

Follow Warner Todd Huston on Twitter @warnerthuston.