Charles Barkley didn't mince words when speaking about the backlash that NBA commissioner Adam Silver, as well as NBA owners and players have received in wake of the league's ongoing issues with China.
During an appearance on The Dan Patrick Show on Thursday, Barkley shared his take on the matter, explaining why he supports the league's decision to go through with their planned events in China.
"First of all, you guys have been killing Colin Kaepernick for the last X amount of years," Barkley says. "Now, all the sudden you want to control what happens in a foreign country?"
“I find it hilarious to listen to all these idiots, fools and jackasses on radio and television talking about ‘these players should do that’ ... these are the same people who have been hating on Colin Kaepernick for the last three years."
"They have billions of dollars at stake," Barkley continued. "It's a business decision. I understand the NBA. The players and the owners both got billions of dollars at stake. The NBA makes billions of dollars in China and that goes to the owners and the players. So, it's a business decision, and I totally understand it."
The whole controversy began when Houston Rockets general manager Daryl Morey tweeted "Fight for freedom, stand with Hong Kong" in support of the pro-democracy protesters in China. Nearly all of the NBA's Chinese partners cut ties with the league since then, and the NBA Cares events in Shanghai have been cancelled.
The Lakers vs Nets preseason game went off as scheduled in Shanghai, but this issue isn't going away anytime soon. James Harden and Russell Westbrook were asked to comment on the controversy today, but a Rockets PR rep prevented them from sharing their thoughts.
President Trump recently weighed in as well, and he took full advantage of the opportunity to blast Steve Kerr for declining to comment on the situation.