NBA’s New Rest Policy Is Ignoring The Biggest Problem
The term “load management” has gained popularity with each NBA season that goes by.
It literally means as it appears. In order to protect players’ health during the 82-game season, teams control player loads by giving them specified case rests.
NBA’s New Rest Policy Is Ignoring The Biggest Problem
However, due to its increased frequency, the league is searching for methods to practice less frequently in order to enhance the quality of play on the court.
LeBron James meets the criteria for the NBA's new rest policy exception
Stars who are 35 years old by the season opener, or who have tallied up 34,000 regular-season minutes or a total of 1,000 combined regular-season and playoff games, will receive prior load management… pic.twitter.com/irx6ZiaMdU
— NBACentral (@TheDunkCentral) September 14, 2023
The NBA is calling this policy the Player Participation Policy (PPP), and on Wednesday the board of governors approved new rules to prevent load management from being exploited for the upcoming 2023–24 season.
This got me thinking about how unfortunate it is to have a policy named after the Paycheck Protection Program, the U.S. business loan system that was started during the height of the COVID-19 pandemic and has been almost comically rife with fraud.
Kawhi Leonard is very vocal when it comes to the NBA's new rest policy pic.twitter.com/dl7JLkDNgT
— NBA Memes (@NBAMemes) September 14, 2023
But once more, I understand. It’s infectious and certain to be well-received during the next negotiations for TV rights.
Prior to the 2017–18 season, the NBA enacted the Player Resting Policy (PRP). Since then, teams have been forbidden from resting fit players for nationally televised high-profile matches. If violated, the club would have to pay a minimum fine of $100,000. Additionally, teams were not permitted to rest many players or healthy players for away games.
Mike Dunleavy Jr. on the NBA's new rest policy impacting the Warriors: "The league makes the rules. We'll play by them."
— Anthony Slater (@anthonyVslater) September 25, 2023
The five guidelines that players and teams must follow are as follows:
- One game of rest is allowed for only one star player.
- For in-season tournament games and national television, top players need to be accessible.
- Teams have to strike a balance between a top player’s number of one-game absences in home and away games, with the former being preferred.
- In instances that might compromise the integrity of the game, teams must refrain from long-term shutdowns or the potential of one when a prominent player retires or plays a significantly reduced role.
- healthy athletes Fans must be able to see and see players resting before a game.
NBA Board of Governors has approved new policy that a team is unable to rest two star players in the same game, per @ShamsCharania
A star will be defined as someone who has made All-Star or All-NBA team in the past three seasons pic.twitter.com/kcwfuO8FHi
— Bleacher Report (@BleacherReport) September 13, 2023
It’s also crucial to remember that players cannot win MVP, Defensive Player of the Year, All-Defensive team, or Most Improved Player awards unless they have participated in at least 65 games. Additionally, a player may be qualified if they participated in at least 62 games, sustained an injury that ended their season, and participated in at least 85% of the regular-season games before the injury.
Any of these new regulations that are broken will result in a fine of $100,000 for the first crime, $250,000 for the second, $1.25 million for the third, and an extra $1 million over the prior penalties for each subsequent infraction.
How Kerr, Warriors view NBA's new rest policy with star-studded roster https://t.co/VmAd56NCrA pic.twitter.com/lK9RmljLO6
— Nba News (@NbaNews365_247) September 26, 2023
Most clubs, especially those that currently pay the luxury tax, would take a hard line on the first few infractions, but it’s not yet clear how long-term “shutdown” absences will be punished.
A wider range of athletes were drawn to the court by that feeling of freedom, and they discovered new avenues to showcase their abilities within the rules of competition. The standard for functional athleticism in the NBA is higher than it has ever been, meaning that NBA athletes’ bodies are under more stress than before.
NBA's new rest policy will force Spurs star players to sit out games https://t.co/vwKyZ4A4DP pic.twitter.com/nvtqwJQaKi
— benmarshall (@benmarshall) September 25, 2023
The NBA put these regulations in place for a purpose, one that it believes will have a number of immediate and long-term advantages. According to ESPN, the NBA expects the following five advantages to stem from the new resting policy memo:
- Increase player involvement over the whole 82-game NBA regular season.
- Reduce the number of star players missing games in a row.
- Give national TV and in-season tournament games a first priority.
- Boost public and fan perception
- Encourage adherence to clear regulations and stiffer sanctions
It makes sense that the NBA would want to play as many of its finest players as possible, especially with so many people anticipating to watch the most exciting matches.
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