As the NBA’s hottest trend right now, load management isn’t going anywhere in the NBA. As long as the NBA schedule remains how it is, teams will always look for opportunities to rest their stars for the sake of preserving their durability.
Knicks All-Star Julius Randle is one of the few big-name players who hasn’t yet accepted the practice. Randle, who has played every single game this season, recently told the New York Post why he’s not yet willing to miss games for precautionary reasons.
“I understand the science and all that different stuff behind it. But I guess have my own science.”
Julius Randle on not sitting out games/load management: "I understand the science and all that different stuff behind it. But I guess have my own science." #knicks
— Zach Braziller (@NYPost_Brazille) March 5, 2023
Load management has become a pretty controversial topic in the NBA community. On one hand, it’s hard to blame players for doing what the doctors are telling them and resting during certain games to keep their bodies fresh. On the other hand, it’s disrespectful to the fans for players to skip games that hard-working people paid tickets to see.
We know where Randle stands on the issue — and that same mentality seems to hold true for the entire Knicks roster, who plays each game with such intensity and importance it’s impossible to ignore.
Unfortunately, Adam Silver doesn’t seem too concerned with addressing the issue.
What Does The NBA Think About Load Management?
With more and more attention being drawn to the issue, it’s no surprise that Adam Silver has spoken up about it this season. Speaking to the media, he recognized some of the problems it could cause but didn’t make any promises to take a stance against it.
“I don’t want to suggest there’s a magic bullet here,” said Silver last month. “I don’t think it’s just about incentivizing players to play more, that the teams are as much a part of the load management as the players are, because again, I think there’s been a societal shift. Everything’s about winning a championship these days and it’s less, I think in all sports, about how you perform day in and day out. And so it’s a cultural issue as well.”
Over the next few years, we will get a better sense of how the NBA is trending on this issue, but don’t expect any serious changes until the league itself takes action.
Besides, if Julius Randle can play in back-to-backs with no problem, why can’t the same be said for every other player?
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