A man in China has been arrested after he threatened to burn the national flag on social media while wearing a Houston Rockets jersey, according to reports.

Howard Wang, 25, was taken into custody Tuesday and is accused of publishing "insults directed against the national flag" on Weibo, which is China's version of Twitter, on Sunday, according to CNN, which cited authorities. The arrest comes amid a week of fractured relations between the NBA and China, due to a tweet from Rockets general manager Daryl Morey that expressed support for human rights protests in Hong Kong, which are considered anti-government. (Morey later deleted the tweet and offered an apology).

The post includes Wang with a photo of himself appearing on the verge of burning the flag, with the caption "I live and die with the team." According to CNN, Wang told police to "come and arrest him." Flag desecration is illegal in China and violators could face up to three years in prison. Comments reacting to his post included, "He has committed crime of splitting the state, he deserves a life sentence, he will keep creating troubles to society."

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The controversy has led to the possible cancellation of preseason games in China, with the media sessions for the Brooklyn Nets and Los Angeles Lakers already postponed. NBA Commissioner Adam Silver has gone into damage control and released a statement Tuesday that tried to thread the needle between respecting China and making it clear the league would not deter any of its employees from exercising the right of free speech.

San Antonio Spurs Gregg Popovich, one of the moral compasses within the league, threw his support behind Silver's latest statement.

Contributing: Associated Press