I’m not sure anyone is calling to rush KP back.
But if at some point he’s fully healthy do we just sit him for the heck of it? And throw him out cold in a series potentially finals?
KP hasn't really been fully healthy all year. The team has been using strategic rest all season. I don't see that changing.
Extra rest is certainly more beneficial than whatever rust concerns there are.
I am not sure you know that to be true. The absolute best case now is out 3 weeks, more likely 4 weeks or more. In that time, you lose your wind, you lose your touch, and you lose your rhythm with the team.
I would say that the optimal scenario is that he comes back at some point in the ECF, say game 3, when we already have a comfortable series lead (hopefully), he eases back in and is truly fully back in shape and in rhythm for the finals.
If we have to rest him beyond that because his calf is still not 100%, then you have to rest him, I don't consider that "extra" rest. But if you get to that point, and he is ready, the calf is healed, and you have a choice to rest him more or start to play him, I would absolutely start to play him. If he is ready to play, "extra" rest is not more beneficial than rust concerns.
I think people are all trying to say the same thing but we get caught up with semantics. Say you are at game 2 or 3 of the EFC, and Porzingis says "it is still a little sore but I think I can go", then you probably don't play him, unless you are down in the series and desperate. But if Porzingis says I am absolutely good to go, it feels as good as it felt before the injury, then do you give him "extra" rest?