NBA legend Shaquille O'Neal on Tuesday defended Houston Rockets general manager Daryl Morey for posting a tweet in support of pro-democracy protests in Hong Kong that kicked off an ongoing dispute between with league and its business partners in China. The NBA's business interests in China have been at a standstill since Morey's Oct. 6 tweet generated backlash from Chinese fans and government officials. While the NBA defended Morey's right to free speech, Commissioner Adam Silver said Beijing asked him to fire the Rockets executive, while Los Angeles Lakers star LeBron James accused Morey of failing to consider the potential financial ramifications that could stem from his tweet.