- Report: Lakers expected to be in the mix for Blake Griffin
- LeBron James offers ecstatic reaction to David Fizdale leaving Lakers for front office position on Jazz
- Chris Broussard questions John Wall’s decision to sign with the Clippers: ‘I think he would’ve been better off going to the Lakers’
- Report: Lakers coaching staff and front office want to see it work with Russell Westbrook in Los Angeles
- Report: Lakers guard Russell Westbrook will exercise his option for the 2022-23 season
- Report: High-ranking people believe Kyrie Irving joining the Lakers could still be on the table
- Malik Monk says he’s open to taking less money to stay with Lakers
- Report: Kyrie Irving could be willing to sign with Lakers for $6 million mid-level exception
- Report: Lakers are only team eyeing Kyrie Irving via sign-and-trade, but Nets aren’t believed to have interest in available deals
- Report: Sources ‘very’ close to the situation ‘strongly’ believe Kyrie Irving is trying to make his way to the Lakers
Report: Lakers Player Lost Million-Dollar Deal in Aftermath of Daryl Morey’s Tweet
- Updated: October 16, 2019
Gary A. Vasquez / USA TODAY Sports
The controversial tweet of Houston Rockets general manager Daryl Morey that angered the Chinese government has caused countless headaches for the NBA since the message was sent.
A new report indicates that the social media post also apparently cost a member of the Los Angeles Lakers a lucrative endorsement deal.
ESPN’s Dave McMenamin looked at the aftermath of Morey’s tweet and how it affected the NBA, Lakers and Brooklyn Nets. One unnamed Lakers player in particular was forced to deal with the ramifications of a controversy that he didn’t create.
“[LeBron] James, Anthony Davis, Kyle Kuzma and Rajon Rondo — to name a few — had appearances canceled,” McMenamin wrote. “One Lakers player, sources told ESPN, had agreed to a $1 million endorsement deal with a Chinese company prior to the trip. When he arrived — poof — it was gone. A seven-figure payday went out the window.”
James has since sparked his own controversy by offering criticism of Morey, leading to charges that he was bowing to the Chinese to protect his endorsements within that country. Morey’s tweet had supported those in Hong Kong who were protesting against the Chinese government.
The Lakers and Nets did eventually play both of their scheduled preseason games before returning to the United States. However, in the second contest, the Lakers received a major scare when Davis suffered a thumb injury that now appears to be minor in nature.
Both teams will get their 2019-20 season underway next week, with the Lakers playing their Staples Center co-tenant, the Los Angeles Clippers, on Tuesday night to get things started.
Related Posts
About Brad Sullivan
