The Lead
'Just Play, Man': The NBA's Crackdown On Rest Days
Oct 11, 2023
Sports journalist Jon Krawczynski discusses the NBA's crackdown on rest days for star players. They explore the origins of 'load management,' the financial struggles of regional sports networks, and the potential consequences of the NBA's new rules. They also discuss the impact on player-owner relationship due to more games and a new tournament.
26:59
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Quick takeaways
- The NBA has implemented new rules to address the issue of star players sitting out regular season games, including limiting healthy star rests and emphasizing availability for national television games.
- Fans often blame star players for resting, but organizational decisions, collaboration with general managers, and sports science professionals also play a significant role in determining rest days.
Deep dives
Resting Healthy Stars: The Trend of Load Management
Load management, the practice of healthy star players sitting out regular season games, has frustrated fans and TV broadcasters. The trend gained attention during the 2018-2019 season when Kawhi Leonard skipped games for the Toronto Raptors. The team went on to win the championship, leading other teams to adopt similar strategies. This spurred the NBA to establish new rules to address the issue, including limiting healthy star rests to one player per game and emphasizing availability for national television games. The league also requires players to notify a week in advance if they plan to rest on a back-to-back.
