TOKYO (AP) NBA Commissioner Adam Silver said the league is not apologizing for Houston Rockets general manager Daryl Moreys since-deleted tweet showing support for anti-government protesters in Hong Kong, even after Chinas state broadcaster canceled plans to show a pair of preseason games in that country later this week.

Silver, speaking Tuesday at a news conference in Tokyo before a preseason game between the Rockets and NBA champion Toronto Raptors, went as far as to say that he and the league are apologetic that so many Chinese officials and fans were upset by Moreys tweet and comments that followed but insisted that Morey has the right to freedom of expression.

Daryl Morey, as general manager of the Houston Rockets, enjoys that right as one of our employees, Silver said. What I also tried to suggest is that I understand there are consequences from his freedom of speech and we will have to live with those consequences.