In a new move that could change the way teams manage the workload of their star players, the NBA has introduced a new regulation that allows exceptions to its rest policy. This measure seeks to guarantee that two stars of the same team do not rest simultaneously during games and that a star cannot skip games for reasons of rest without a solid justification. Among the notable players who can qualify for this exception are LeBron James and Kevin Durant, two of the most recognized names in the league.
To qualify for this exception, a player must be at least 35 years old on opening night or have accumulated a career workload of 34,000 regular-season minutes or 1,000 combined regular-season and playoff games. The NBA seeks to balance the rest of its stars with the need to maintain the competitiveness and attractiveness of the games for fans.
This new regulation becomes a determining factor for teams that have star players in the late stage of their careers. LeBron James, one of the most dominant players of the last decade and currently 38 years old, could benefit from this exception. The Los Angeles Lakers’ ability to properly manage their playing and rest time could make the difference in their quest for a championship.
Another big name on the list is Kevin Durant, who, despite his relative youth compared to LeBron (34 years old), has accumulated a large number of minutes in his career due to his long and successful career in the NBA. Durant, considered one of the league’s best scorers, is essential to the Phoenix Suns’ aspirations, and this new policy could allow the team to manage his involvement more effectively as the season progresses.
However, these two stars are not the only potential beneficiaries. The list includes other notable names such as Chris Paul, Mike Conley, Stephen Curry, DeMar DeRozan, and James Harden, who have also accumulated a significant workload in their careers. To qualify for this exception, teams must provide the NBA with written information at least one week before a game explaining why the player must limit his participation.
A rule that does not focus on what is important
The implementation of these new regulations is intended to balance competitiveness and entertainment in the NBA. However, the main problem of this competition is the large number of serious injuries that accumulate among its players motivated by the enormous accumulation of matches that are played each year. Due to television agreements, it is very difficult to reduce the number of games per regular season, but if nothing is done about it, injuries will not stop happening en masse.
