Just wondering if you think this is load management for Kristaps Porzingis? I meant they seem to hold him out in a lot of games. Seems like modern day load management to me. Keep him more fresh and healthy for when we really need him down the stretch? Just wondering what others think?
Here is the league's definition of load management:
Beginning this 2023-24 season, the new PPP mandates that teams:
- Rest no more than one star player from a game. (For purposes of the restrictions, a “star player” is defined as someone who has been an All-Star or an All-NBA selection in any of the past three seasons. It also will impact for the balance of the schedule players named to that season’s All-Star teams.)
- Make star players available for nationally televised games and In-Season Tournament games.
- Balance the number of one-game “rest” absences a star player accrues in home games vs. road games, with a recommendation that a player more often sit out at home.
- Refrain from any long-term “shutdown” when a star stops participating in games or appears only in a materially reduced role that could affect the integrity of the game.
- Have any healthy players resting for a game present and visible to fans.
The policy includes exceptions for injuries and personal absences, as well as pre-approved absences in back-to-back schedule circumstances based on a player’s age, career workload or serious-injury history.
For example, LeBron James, Kevin Durant, Chris Paul and other players who are at least 35 years old on opening night or have appeared in 1,000 career games or logged more than 34,000 regular-season minutes will fall into this category. Their teams must notify the league in writing at least one week in advance explaining why the player’s participation will be limited.
The league office will have authority to conduct investigations and order independent medical reviews in the event of any questionable absences.
A team’s first PPP violation would carry a fine of $100,000, according to an ESPN report. A second offense would cost $250,000 and subsequent fines would escalate by $1 million per violation.
https://www.nba.com/news/adam-silver-load-management-bog-news-conference-2023
I think what they are doing with KP doesn't fall under this because I think his last All-Star appearance was more than 3 seasons ago, and because he has suffered an injury. Al's sitting out SEGABABAs would fall under the exception for players over the age of 35.
I'm ok with what the Cs are doing, I don't think it violates the policy. I think what the league are trying to avoid is situations like where star players decide to sit out multiple games for no reason other than to "save them for the playoffs". Kawhi sat out numerous games for the Clippers even while he was healthy, to save him for the playoffs. Or the situation with Al in OKC where they decided to just not play him for parts of the season because he wasn't part of their plans (I think at the time Al wasn't 3 seasons removed from being an All Star). I think as a statement of principle what they want is "healthy star players playing while healthy".
All that said I think it's a policy that is difficult to prove - just as any employer might find it hard to prove that an employee calling in sick, who produces a sick note, is actually sick
