Adam Silver spent time speaking to the Los Angeles Lakers and Brooklyn Nets together in China about their ongoing issues following Daryl Morey's Tweet supporting Hong Kong.

Silver said he believed players should face the media and support the NBA's openness toward freedom of discussion.

LeBron James spoke up and said he believed Silver and the NBA needed to explain and articulate their position first before the players would have to.

“Adam deserves a lot of credit because instead of forcing these players in front of cameras in China, he worked with everyone in the room and heard them out,” one person involved in the meeting said.

James then led a joint players-only meeting after the session with Silver.

“Why are we the ones to go through the risks of speaking out in China when the league should be the first to address the matter, with our voices to follow?” said one source with knowledge of the meeting and the players’ thinking in regard to James’ message.