Initially, it was puzzling to understand why highly socially conscious NBA basketball players were being unusually silent and staying on the sidelines regarding the controversy of freedom of speech inside the People’s Republic of China and the human rights of the Hong Kong protesters. Especially, their silence was puzzling when one considers how vocal and visible a stance a number of NBA players took regarding Colin Kaepernick’s freedom of speech and his right to kneel during the pre-game playing of National of Anthem.

In 1992, an aide to then Democratic presidential candidate Bill Clinton once commented “it’s the economy, stupid”. Well, in the case of the socially conscious NBA players being surprisingly quiet, it appears that it is not the economy, but “it’s the money…stupid”.

NBA teams’ total players’ salaries are capped and directly tied to a percentage of the league’s revenues. If NBA’s top line revenues are impacted by the current controversy in China, then there is a high probability the revenue pie will shrink. And conversely, the salary cap for players salaries will shrink proportionally if Chinese corporations decide to end their lucrative multi year partnerships, which are worth billions of dollars to the NBA.

Additionally, many top NBA players such as James Hardin, Stephen Curry, and LeBron James, to name a few, spend time in China during the off season meeting basketball fans and getting paid. They spend time in the second largest economy signing endorsement deals, promoting themselves and the sport of basketball, and subsequently, promoting the NBA. And, it appears that ‘…for the love of money…’ the players do not want to rock the boat and jeopardize the Chinese golden goose that supplements their million dollar paydays.

Thus, the otherwise socially conscious NBA players have been “radio silent”. They have yielded on the issue of Hong Kong protesters human rights and the Houston Rockets GM’s tweet supporting the protesters that sparked the current brouhaha. Although a few players and coaches have offered tepid apologies to China for someone in the NBA fraternity expressing their freedom of speech, the majority of players have been mute.

Fortunately for Colin Kaepernick, there was not an autocratic Communist government threatening the bank accounts and freedom of speech of the otherwise socially conscious NBA players.