Half a billion people in China watched the 2018-19 NBA season (5 yr streaming deal "could be $1.5B")

[Rembrandt Brown]

Half a billion people in China watched the NBA’s latest season
By Jane Li
Quartz
July 29, 2019

There is at least one corner of the China-US trade map that appears to be unscathed amid their ongoing trade tensions.

Tencent, the Chinese tech giant behind the ubiquitous messaging app WeChat, announced today (July 29) that it will renew a five-year partnership with the US National Basketball Association (NBA) until 2025 to offer live-streaming, video-on-demand services and other league content cross its platforms in China. The value of the deal was not announced, but Lanxiong Sports, an online Chinese sports news channel, said (in Chinese) the number could be $1.5 billion, compared with the $500 million the tech giant spent for its previous five-year-partnership with NBA to exclusively stream the games online starting in 2015.

Tencent didn’t respond to a request for comment.

Part of Tencent’s motivation to spend what might be three times more money for the rights can be traced to the significant increase in the number of NBA viewers in the country. Around 490 million people, more than one-third of the Chinese population of 1.3 billion, watched the basketball league’s latest 2018-19 season games on Tencent-affiliated platforms. The number was nearly triple that of the 2014-15 season, right before the Tencent-NBA streaming partnership began. More than 21 million viewers watched the sixth game of the NBA finals, in which the Toronto Raptors pulled off their first tournament victory, making it the most-watched NBA game ever in China on digital platforms, according to Tencent, now the largest international partner of NBA.

The actual NBA viewership in China is even bigger than the announced figures. While Tencent has the exclusive rights to live-stream the games online, the league has struck partnerships with other Chinese companies to grant them licensing rights to use other NBA content.

Among them is ByteDance, the parent company of short-video streaming app Tik Tok, which signed an agreement (in Chinese) with the NBA last November to publish short videos such as game highlights and behind-the-scenes clips on Tik Tok and two other of its platforms. Offline, CCTV 5, the sports channel of the Chinese national broadcaster CCTV, has the exclusive rights to broadcast the games live on television.

Thanks to the large number of viewers, NBA has become the most popular sports league in China, with players like Kobe Bryant having over eight million (in Chinese) followers on social media platform Weibo. Avid fans have also given the players a whole host of nicknames, such as “Emperor James” (詹皇, zhān huáng) for LeBron James, or “Love God” (爱神, àishén) for Kevin Love.

 

[Rembrandt Brown]

Stan...

Warriors are boring. Theres a reason yall are playing LeBron 4 years in a row. Any other team and the ratings and interest will be garbage. Yall won but nobody wants to talk about yall. Afterthoughts.

This playoff is exposing just how much we dont care about other superstars if we cant use them to troll Bron. The ratings and lack of interest reflect it.

Tell Klay to save the NBA playoff ratings. They trash without Bron.

Be mad at the NBA for being so boring this playoff and not having true superstars that can draw fan interest without being "anti-LeBron's".

I told that @Rembrandt Brown dude 2 months ago, this would be the Dubs least watched Final. They tryna hide these shitty ratings numbers.

Meet reality...

Around 490 million people, more than one-third of the Chinese population of 1.3 billion, watched the basketball league’s latest 2018-19 season games on Tencent-affiliated platforms. The number was nearly triple that of the 2014-15 season, right before the Tencent-NBA streaming partnership began. More than 21 million viewers watched the sixth game of the NBA finals, in which the Toronto Raptors pulled off their first tournament victory, making it the most-watched NBA game ever in China on digital platforms, according to Tencent, now the largest international partner of NBA.

The actual NBA viewership in China is even bigger than the announced figures. While Tencent has the exclusive rights to live-stream the games online, the league has struck partnerships with other Chinese companies to grant them licensing rights to use other NBA content.

 

[doe moe]

 

[RAY V.]

Zion Williamson could say fuck America go to China be a damn God over there

 

[Hey Julian!]

Yet, Jeremy Lin........never mind.

 

[Rembrandt Brown]

Yet, Jeremy Lin........never mind.

... has more external pressure on him than any other NBA player!

I mentioned this in the Lin thread... Linsanity made that dude an icon-- Half a billion people in China watched the NBA last season and he's their Michael Jordan but he can't back it up. It explains why he has this messianic napoleon complex with this sense of tragedy. Money doesn't fix that. (It helps! But it doesn't fix it.)

Bomani Jones touched on that-- "I think he understands the role that he plays there and the way he is treated... There's a pressure that sits on him."

 

[Rembrandt Brown]

​

Daryl Morey’s Hong Kong Tweet Has Put His Relationship With the Rockets in Limbo
The Houston general manager came out in support of the protest movement in Hong Kong, and the backlash from Rockets owner Tilman Fertitta, the Chinese government, and Chinese business interests have rocked the franchise and the NBA
By John Gonzalez
The Ringer
Updated Oct 6, 2019, 9:13pm EDT

The Houston Rockets suddenly find themselves in the middle of a geopolitical controversy that could put their chief front-office executive’s job in jeopardy. After general manager Daryl Morey expressed support in a since-deleted tweet for pro-democracy efforts in Hong Kong, the Chinese government, the Chinese Basketball Association, and various Chinese businesses quickly denounced Morey and moved to sever ties with the Rockets. As a consequence, league sources told The Ringer that Rockets ownership has debated Morey’s employment status and whether to replace him.

On Sunday, the Chinese Basketball Association issued a statement on Weibo—a Chinese social media platform akin to Twitter—and expressed its “strong opposition” to what it called Morey’s “improper remarks regarding Hong Kong.” As a result, the CBA said it was suspending “exchanges and cooperation” with the Rockets. The Chinese Consulate in Houston also issued a statement saying it was “deeply shocked” by Morey’s “erroneous comments” and expressed “strong dissatisfaction.” The consulate also urged the Rockets to “correct the error and take immediate concrete measures to eliminate the adverse impact.”

Morey and the Rockets are currently in Tokyo as part of the NBA’s slate of preseason games in Asia. Representatives for the Rockets did not immediately reply to questions via email, and attempts to reach Morey for comment were unsuccessful.

So what exactly happened?​

On Friday evening, Morey tweeted and then quickly deleted an image that said “fight for freedom, stand with Hong Kong.” That prompted Rockets owner Tilman Fertitta to publicly rebuke Morey.

What’s the relationship between China and Hong Kong at the moment?​

Extremely strained. Hong Kong is a special administrative region of the People’s Republic of China. Hong Kong has operated as a semiautonomous state with certain political and economic freedoms under the “one country, two systems” policy. Tensions increased in part over the summer when a highly controversial legislative measure was introduced that would allow criminal suspects to be extradited from Hong Kong to the mainland. At the time, Hong Kong Chief Executive Carrie Lam claimed the bill would help the territory protect human rights, while opponents said it would undermine Hong Kong’s legal independence. Critics of the legislation said it could be used to pursue political opponents of the mainland government with murky perceived offenses in order to silence or, according to the Associated Press, disappear them in a system where “the vast majority of criminal trials end in conviction.” As a result, pro-democracy protestors and police have clashed for months, in increasingly chaotic scenes.

What’s the Rockets’ relationship with China?​

Previously, excellent. According to a recent survey, the Rockets were the second-most popular team in China. That’s no surprise, given the fact that Hall of Famer Yao Ming played for the Rockets and helped exponentially grow the sport’s popularity in the country. But Yao is now the chair of the Chinese Basketball Association, which criticized Morey in its statement for making “an inappropriate comment related to Hong Kong” and said it “strongly opposes” the general manager’s remarks. At the moment, it seems unlikely that Yao will act as a mediator in the dispute between Morey, the Rockets, and the Chinese.

What’s the functional impact to the Rockets?​

In addition to the CBA suspending cooperation with the Rockets, at least two other sponsors—sportswear brand Li-Ning and Shanghai Pudong Development Bank (SPDB)—also announced they were halting their relationships with the organization, according to Reuters. A former Rockets reporter tweeted that SPDB would “stop all marketing and promotion activities related to the Rockets.”

In an even bigger blow to the franchise and the league, Tencent—the NBA digital rights holder in China—“announced a blacklist of Daryl Morey due to his ‘Free HK’ tweet” and said it would “suspend all reports/streaming” of the Houston Rockets. Tencent is now offering a “switch home teams” option for fans who bought a single-team pass to watch Rockets games.

In July, Tencent and the NBA announced “a five-year expansion of their existing partnership” that would keep them in business through 2024-25 season. According to the release, nearly 500 million Chinese fans watched NBA games on Tencent platforms—which was up almost threefold from the 2014-15 season—while 21 million Chinese fans watched Game 6 of the 2019 NBA Finals through the service.

What’s the NBA’s position here?​

On Sunday, NBA chief communications officer Mike Bass released the following statement:

“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.”

It’s safe to assume the league is not pleased that one of its most popular franchises in China has gotten into a messy public dispute with one of its biggest business partners. The potential political and financial fallout here is massive. One league source called it “not a small thing” while another declared it “an epic screwup.”

According to The Athletic’s Shams Charania, the league will not discipline Morey for his tweet.

I asked Ben Rhodes, the writer, podcaster, and former deputy national security adviser under President Obama, to put the situation in perspective. He responded that “this controversy highlights for me, above all, the Chinese sensitivity about Hong Kong.” Rhodes continued: “It’s been common in the past for China to bully U.S. companies, tech, and media to refrain from criticizing human rights violations. While it may have put Morey in an awkward spot it’s much more of a warning shot at the NBA broadly. … I think it’d be terrible for the league to indicate that it would silence the free speech of players and executives in deference to an authoritarian government.”

Where does all this leave Morey?​

On thin ice. Morey is an incredibly bright guy, but after asking around it’s clear that he did not anticipate that his tweet would spark an international incident. From what I was told, Morey has friends in Hong Kong and was concerned with their safety, in light of the Chinese government’s ongoing attempts to restrict freedom of speech and assembly in their fight with Hong Kong over the extradition bill. Morey did what he thought was right, but his actions had significant unintended consequences.

On Sunday, Morey tweeted out a statement:

Fertitta told ESPN that he has “the best general manager in the league” and that “everything is fine with Daryl and me.” But the Rockets owner also admitted that the organization has gotten “a huge backlash” as a result of Morey’s tweet. League sources told me that Rockets ownership has “absolutely discussed” whether Morey should be removed as general manager in an attempt to mitigate the fallout, appease the Chinese government and business interests, and reestablish ties. League sources also indicated that Morey is aware that those discussions have happened and is bracing for that possibility. As one league source put it, this has become “an international issue” that’s “way bigger” than Morey.

This article was updated to include a statement from the NBA, quotes from Ben Rhodes, and an update from Daryl Morey.


Pols blast NBA for ‘kowtowing’ to China
By RISHIKA DUGYALA
Politico
10/06/2019 11:35 PM EDT


The National Basketball Association on Sunday broke its silence on a brewing controversy between China and the Houston Rockets — and was promptly denounced by several Capitol Hill lawmakers and 2020 presidential hopefuls for "kowtowing" to the foreign power.

Rockets general manager Daryl Morey waded into geopolitical tensions Friday, posting an image on Twitter that said “fight for freedom, stand with Hong Kong,” in the midst of ongoing pro-democracy protests and clashes with police in the region.

He quickly deleted it, but Rockets owner Tilman Fertitta publicly rebuked him, and a Chinese sponsor and sportswear maker suspended working with the team, according to Reuters.


On Sunday, the NBA released its statement: “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.”

“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,” it continued.

Immediately, politicians on both sides of the aisle took to social media.

“It’s clear that the @NBA is more interested in money than human rights. Tonight’s statement from Commissioner Silver is an absolute joke,” Florida Republican Sen. Rick Scott tweeted, referring to Adam Silver. “The NBA is kowtowing to Beijing to protect their bottom line and disavowing those with the temerity to #standwithHongKong. Shameful!”


Texas Sen. Ted Cruz defended the GM of his home state team: “As a lifelong @HoustonRockets fan, I was proud to see @dmorey call out the Chinese Communist Party’s repressive treatment of protesters in Hong Kong. Now, in pursuit of big $$, the @nba is shamefully retreating.”

Democrats, including former Housing and Urban Development secretary Julián Castro, entrepreneur Andrew Yang and California Rep. Eric Swalwell, chimed in.

“China is using its economic power to silence critics — even those in the U.S.,” Castro wrote on Twitter. “The United States must lead with our values and speak out for pro-democracy protesters in Hong Kong, and not allow American citizens to be bullied by an authoritarian government.

Texas Republican Sen. John Cornyn retweeted him: “Julián, glad to agree with you on this one.”

Morey, for his part, addressed his initial tweet on Sunday, echoing the language in the NBA statement. The Rockets have strong support in China: Hall of Famer Yao Ming — now the chair of the Chinese Basketball Association — is a former player, and a recent digital study found the Rockets were the second most popular NBA team in China, behind the Golden State Warriors.

The GM tweeted that he had “a lot of opportunity” to hear other perspectives since posting the photo and that his views were his own.

“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,” Morey wrote.

 

[HIGH CALIBER]

that could buy a lot of goose in China

 

[Rembrandt Brown]

 

[black again]

China's such a huge market, the NBA would burn Morey at the stake on live tv, before they'd let him mess up that money.

The idea of nearly twice the US population watching a sporting event is crazy!

 

[Llano]

The irony as you see Repubicans denounce the NBA'S response but the Rockets owner is a big time donor for Republicans. He made sure to G check Morey about fucking up his bread since the Rockets are one of the most popular teams in China.

If you didn't need more proof that money & hypocrisy is the fuel that keeps America running.

 

[Rembrandt Brown]

 

[Rembrandt Brown]

Less than a month ago:

​

Popularity of NBA in China seems to create endless options
Associated Press
Sep 16, 2019

BEIJING (AP)- Kobe Bryant went to China for the first time in 1998, making the trip to Beijing to help operate an instructional basketball clinic for about a dozen kids. The local coaches working with him didn’t know a lot about the game. Barely anyone noticed that an NBA player was in town.

Basketball wasn’t a big deal in China.

And then everything changed very quickly.

The footprint of the NBA has grown at an extremely rapid pace over the last two decades in China, where more than 500 million people watched games last season and where one new streaming deal alone will pump $1.5 billion into the league’s coffers over the next five years.

“When I first came here, I never thought the game in China would get to be this big,” Bryant said. “But it has. And it’s not going to stop.”

The possibilities seem endless.

Could there be an NBA team in China despite the travel that would be involved? Might there be two-way player contracts between the NBA and the Chinese Basketball Association? What about the NBA constructing a team to play in China or the Chinese sending a team for a full season in the U.S.?

Farfetched as all that may sound, keep in mind that 20 years ago no one envisioned the NBA-China relationship to be this big – or that it would keep growing after Yao Ming’s run with the Houston Rockets ended eight years ago. The NBA has academies in China now, and the Chinese national team returned to the NBA Summer League in Las Vegas this year.

“It’s a good question,” Golden State coach Steve Kerr said. “I think the next step will probably come when the next Yao Ming comes. That would take it to a new level, more Chinese players to reach the NBA and make an impact.”

The marriage between the NBA and the world’s most populous country is stronger than ever. NBA officials say more than 300 million Chinese people play the game and 40 million are registered to play the 2K video game. Thousands showed up this summer just to watch the sons of Dwyane Wade and LeBron James play exhibitions with the rest of their high school teammates.

A trade war is happening between the U.S. and China, political tensions are escalating between the countries and it could impact the products of the league’s business partners . But the game itself continues to thrive.

“I think sports transcends politics and I hope the NBA can continue to connect fans globally,” Dallas Mavericks owner Mark Cuban said. “I don’t have any reason to think our relationship won’t continue to be positive.”

Nothing seems to be able to derail the NBA’s popularity.

The team that the U.S. sent to the World Cup in China didn’t feature the NBA’s biggest stars, yet drew sellout crowds for each of its first six games. U.S. coach Gregg Popovich was begged for autographs and selfies everywhere he went.

“We’ve known for a long time how big basketball has become in China, of course, but all over the world,” Popovich said. “It’s an international deal now. There are so many great players in so many countries. It’s not a secret.”

Stars like James, Stephen Curry, and James Harden have a trip to China on their annual schedules – and when Wade, the recently retired guard who has a lifetime contract with Chinese shoe company Li-Ning, visited this summer one of his events had to be halted after about 10 minutes because the mall where it was happening was overflowing with people.

Donovan Mitchell of the Utah Jazz has been to China twice this summer, once to promote his brand, the second time for the World Cup with USA Basketball. He sees it becoming an annual stop for him, too – and believes there is no ceiling for the game globally.

“Man, I couldn’t tell you,” Mitchell said. “I think it’s going to be even bigger and it’s not going to be just China. It’s going to be many more countries. The (relationship) between the NBA and China has been huge since I was a kid and it can only take off from there … because the passion and love is so strong.”

It’s not a one-sided relationship; China sees reason to invest in the NBA.

Joe Tsai, the co-founder of Chinese e-commerce giant Alibaba, agreed this summer to buy the remaining 51% that he didn’t already own of the Brooklyn Nets and Barclays Center from Mikhail Prokhorov in deals worth about $3.4 billion. In 2016, Lizhang Jiang, a businessman from Shanghai, bought 5% of the Minnesota Timberwolves, a stake he sold earlier this year.

China also takes immense pride in players like Klay Thompson wearing Chinese brands on the court. (Thompson has a 10-year deal with Chinese shoe company Anta for a reported $80 million.) And China sent its national team to NBA Summer League this past July primarily to get ready for the World Cup, but also for exposure on the NBA stage.

“I think it’s good for our players and good for the team,” China coach Li Nan said of playing in Las Vegas. “I think it’s good for everyone.”

The NBA has opened three basketball academies in China and has seen very quick success with academies in Asia and Africa. The international influence on the league was more present this past season than ever.

The NBA MVP, Giannis Antetokounmpo, is from Greece. The rookie of the year, Luka Doncic, is from Slovenia. The most improved player, Pascal Siakam, is from Cameroon. The defensive player of the year, Rudy Gobert, is from France. The All-NBA center, Nikola Jokic, is from Serbia.

“This past summer, an NBA Academy prospect from China signed a contract with a National Basketball League team in Australia, becoming the first male NBA Academy prospect from China to sign a contract with a professional team,” NBA Commissioner Adam Silver said. “And on the women’s side, Han Xu from the New York Liberty, who trained at the NBA Academy in Shandong, China, became the first NBA Academy prospect to be drafted into the NBA or WNBA.”

It hasn’t happened overnight.

Former Commissioner David Stern struck a deal with Chinese television to show games on tape-delay three decades ago, and once toyed with the idea of some sort of NBA-sponsored or branded league in China. Teams embrace the chance to play the annual preseason games in China because he exposure is worth the jet lag.

“When I have 76ers gear on and I walk through Shanghai, walk through Shenzhen, if I had a nickel for every time somebody said `Trust the process’ in perfect English I wouldn’t be standing here working,” Philadelphia 76ers CEO Scott O’Neil said, referencing the team’s motto during its rebuilding phase of recent years. “We’re very much a part of the fabric of China.”

None of this seemed possible 20 years ago or so, when Bryant made that first trip. Now fans can’t get enough.

“When you come here, you feel it from the fans, their energy, people at the hotel, people just walking around,” Kerr said in China during the World Cup. “Everybody just seems very excited about basketball.”

Same goes for the game’s future in China.

 

[LordSinister]

You cacs ain't ride for Kaep so shut the fuck up now.

 

[An RnB Thug]

When cacing goes WRONG.
These cacs NEVER speak out for Palestinians, Africans or even Black People HERE
But there will stick their noses in Chinese Business??!!

It's funny watching the DAMAGE CONTROL
Let's see what's more important Chinese People's rights or the DOLLAR.....

 

[Rembrandt Brown]

You cacs ain't ride for Kaep so shut the fuck up now.

It's a little lame how some folks on BGOL act like Kap is the sun and everything revolves around him.

I don't even know who you're talking about but there are PLENTY of Kap supporters also calling out injustice in China. It's not either/or. Don't be simple-minded, man.

 

[Rembrandt Brown]

When cacing goes WRONG.
These cacs NEVER speak out for Palestinians, Africans or even Black People HERE
But there will stick their noses in Chinese Business??!!

It's funny watching the DAMAGE CONTROL
Let's see what's more important Chinese People's rights or the DOLLAR.....

You don't know shit about the BDS movement, obviously. There are plenty of white people speaking out on behalf of Palestinians. Just because you don't know about some shit doesn't mean it isn't happening.

 

[An RnB Thug]

You don't know shit about the BDS movement, obviously. There are plenty of white people speaking out on behalf of Palestinians. Just because you don't know about some shit doesn't mean it isn't happening.

I'm talking about TWEETS like the one this cac made you dirty cac
Show me ONE tweet from an NBA GM in support of Palestinians

 

[Rembrandt Brown]

These cacs NEVER speak out for Palestinians, Africans or even Black People HERE

I'm talking about TWEETS like the one this cac made you dirty cac
Show me ONE tweet from an NBA GM in support of Palestinians

"From an NBA GM."

How many games does the NBA play in Palestine, dumbass? You have nerve calling me a cac, you chromosome absent compoop.

I'm just going to not respond to idiots anymore. This is beneath me. "Show me ONE tweet from an NBA GM in support of Palestinians." You'd get laughed out of the special olympics debate competition with that kind of bullshit.

 

[An RnB Thug]

"From an NBA GM."

How many games does the NBA play in Palestine, dumbass? You have nerve calling me a cac, you chromosome absent compoop.

I'm just going to not respond to idiots anymore. This is beneath me. "Show me ONE tweet from an NBA GM in support of Palestinians." You'd get laughed out of the special olympics debate competition with that kind of bullshit.

OK, Show me ONE TWEET
from an NBA Exec about the Police Brutality against Black People HERE in the U.S.
Where they play PLENTY of games.

I'll wait, you stupid cac boot lickin' degenerate

You WON'T respond cause YOU CAN'T

 

[COINTELPRO]

There are elements within the NBA and NFL that are being used covertly for propaganda purposes. You have actors, Youtube shows like Boyce Watkins, reporters, and many other elements. I have had my experience of receiving attacks and trying to influence public opinion about me. This was well coordinated, trying to use their link with Yao Ming, NBA, and the players to push this messaging into the country.

It is sad that sports have been turned into this, I just want to watch a good game.

 

[Rembrandt Brown]

China still isn't showing NBA games on TV! Some NBA execs are calling the lost revenue "The Daryl Deduction."

"Their salaries are determined by percentages of the salary cap, and a lower cap means a lower salary."-- Players are gonna lose a lot of money because of this.

Report: NBA salary cap, luxury tax expected to drop from projections for 2020-2021 due to lower revenue
Liz Roscher Yahoo Sports
Jan 30, 2020, 10:42 AM

As the NBA trade deadline approaches, teams may have to start thinking about next season before they make any franchise-altering moves.

According to ESPN’s Adrian Wojnarowski and Bobby Marks, the NBA will soon release adjusted 2020-21 salary cap and luxury tax projections, which signal a drop in those projected figures due to decreased revenue for the league. The original cap projection was $116 million, but it could reportedly drop down to $113 million.

The likely culprit of the decrease in revenue is the NBA’s kerfuffle with China back. China pulled television coverage and sponsorships in October after Houston Rockets GM Daryl Morey tweeted in support of Hong Kong independence. China had been a major source of revenue for the NBA, and Wojnarowski and Marks reported that the Morey tweet and ensuing issues cost the NBA between $150 million and $200 million.

Even with the loss of revenue from China and the resulting $3 million decline in the projected cap, Wojnarowski reported that overall NBA revenue is up. That’s why the 2020-21 cap is still expected to exceed this year’s cap of $109.1 million.

The reported $3 million decrease in the cap isn’t enough to significantly affect the upcoming trade deadline, because only a handful of teams have enough cap space to make big moves. That $3 million looms a lot larger when you look at the big picture beyond this season. If the $141 million luxury tax level drops to $138 million as ESPN reports, teams like the Golden State Warriors and Los Angeles Lakers would be in some trouble.

The Warriors, who are already in line for a $65 million luxury tax penalty, could see that balloon to $80 million if the tax level drops by $3 million. The Lakers could use their $9.8 million midlevel exception to make a move this summer, but then they risk getting hard capped and limiting their flexibility next season due to the reduction.

Teams like the Rockets and Philadelphia 76ers also need to pay attention, because they’re expected to be luxury tax teams in 2020-21. Players who signed rookie-scale contract extensions, like Pascal Siakam and Ben Simmons, are also likely to be affected. Their salaries are determined by percentages of the salary cap, and a lower cap means a lower salary.

Report: NBA salary cap, luxury tax expected to drop from projections for 2020-2021 due to lower revenue

The Daryl Morey tweet and ensuing issues with China have cost the NBA a lot of revenue, and now the teams will start to feel it.

sports.yahoo.com

Windhorst gets into specifics on how much it will cost players at 29:55 here:

Brian Windhorst & The Hoop Collective - Rookie of the Year? | ESPN

Just one week into Zion Williamson's NBA career, Brian Windhorst, Jackie MacMullan and Tim MacMahon give their early impressions of the rookie phenom (14:40). Plus, conversations about the NBA's surprising cap projections (29:55) and Damian Lillard's unheralded dominance (41:36).

www.espn.com