Nets, Suns to play in China for 2025 NBA preseason games
12/06/2024 12:10 AM
In 2025, the NBA will be returning to Mainland China for two preseason games between the Brooklyn Nets and the Phoenix Suns, as revealed by Shams Charania of ESPN. By the time the Nets and Suns tip off their preseason game in October 2025, it will be six years since the NBA last played a game in China — with the league going through hoops just to repair the relationship between them and the Chinese government.
As one would recall, the NBA’s relationship with China was damaged when commissioner Adam Silver maintained that the league values freedom of expression in the aftermath of then-Houston Rockets general manager Daryl Morey’s expression of support for calls to free Hong Kong.
This led to suspension of NBA broadcasts in China, with the league losing millions in revenue as a result. But the league has been hard at work in mending fences, with NBA China CEO Michael Ma shouldering the lion’s share of responsibility for this reconciliation.
No one is surprised that the Nets will be playing in China in 2025, as they are owned by Joe Tsai, the co-founder of Chinese e-commerce powerhouse Alibaba. These ties basically guaranteed the Nets’ involvement in the NBA’s return to China.
The game between the Nets and the Suns will be played at the Venetian Arena in Macao, although a date is yet to be set for these two preseason games.
Nets and Suns’ 2025 preseason clash sparks Ben Simmons-China memes
Ben Simmons continues to be a popular player even though he has fallen off from one of the most dynamic two-way stars in the league to a solid role player for the Nets. Simmons’ fall-off remains a comedic topic amongst fans, with some even imploring the 6’10” point forward/center to ply his trade in China to better match his current level of play.
And in the aftermath of the announcement that the Nets will be playing two preseason games in China next year, Simmons was once again the butt of all jokes, even though he’ll be a free agent at the end of the season and there are no guarantees that he’ll be staying with Brooklyn.
“Sources say that Ben Simmons will be left behind in Macao by Brooklyn Nets so he can travel to Shanghai to join Shanghai Sharks next season,” X user @jbondwagon joked.
“Ben Simmons returning to his homeland,” @shaisprint added.
“BEN SIMMONS GOING TO WHERE HE BELONGS,” @dgsire piled on.
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