Yikes

Steve Kerr's response to being called out by Trump.

"The same people who are asking me to stick to sports are also asking me to expand my horizons," Kerr said. "I guess that's what I'm hearing. Again, I will speak on the things I'm comfortable with.

Ummm...I take this as a mischaracterization of even Trump's position. Trump is pointing out how willing Kerr is to disparage his fellow countrymen for not agreeing politically but then silent on a NBA BASKETBALL story involving geopolitical foe of the United States. Trump is calling out Kerr's hypocrisy, not suggesting he should become a China expert. And then this:

"As far as North Korea, I don't know much about North Korea. As far as the Ukraine situation, I don't know much about the Ukraine situation. We could just go around the world and maybe I can pinpoint a couple others I'm comfortable about, but this whole thing is so ridiculous. Again, we're fortunate in this country to have free speech. I exercise that. But part of having free speech is also electing not to speak if you don't feel comfortable about something."  

Kerr declined comment when asked if he felt Morey should be fired for sending out the initial tweet. 

"I choose not to be a soundbite tonight," Kerr said. "Probably too late for that tonight. I choose not to be that soundbite."

It sure comes across as craven and a weasel out. Ukraine, North Korea, etc, none of those issues are related to the NBA. This one is. This directly impacts the league Kerr and all the players are a part of. This is what makes the sudden silence so telling and odd. No one expects them to be Chinese history experts, but it is completely wild that NO ONE wants to comment on an NBA GM almost getting fired over harmless tweet that hurts the feelings of an authoritarian power.

The reality is China WAY overreacted to the Morey tweet. They are bullying the NBA in a foolish way. And it's a strange world where these NBA guys are willing to pounce and criticize their own countrymen, President, and fans on issues and then fall silent when a geopolitical authoritarian foe might get their feelings hurt. A lot of folks think this is about the money. I actually don't. I think the NBA guys got flat footed on an issue they don't care about at all. Fair enough. But should've thought about this possibility when they started using the NBA platform to get fans to care about issues they don't care about. It goes the other way too, it appears.

The hypocrisy is what annoys people.