Typically, in sports, the more time an athlete has between games or events, given that they are able to maintain their physical condition, the higher their performance can be. Additional rest can provide time for muscle recovery, mental relaxation, and treatment for any nagging injuries. In professional athletics, schedules can often be very demanding, with athletes in basketball and hockey even at times playing games on consecutive days. This creates conditions of fatigue which may lead to injury. For some, the milestone of completing all of the games in a season is a strong motivation, but for others, resting during less important contests and having more energy for when it counts is the superior option.
This topic of “load management” has come to attention this year due to Kawhi Leonard’s habit for sitting out a significant portion of the NBA regular season games. Last year, in the 2018-19 season, Kawhi sat out a total of 22 games, but his absences were forgiven as he was able to dominate during the playoffs and bring Toronto its first ever championship. Now, in Los Angeles, Kawhi is under the spotlight and with new pressure to perform, his ways have remained unchanged. Through 22 games this season, the star forward has sat 6. This puts him on pace to sit out just as many games as last season. With all of this rest, however, Kawhi Leonard is putting himself in a very difficult position.
It should be mentioned that Leonard has some justification for needing breaks from the court. Just a year before his title winning season in Toronto, Kawhi suffered a severe quadricep injury that saw him miss almost the entire season. Since then, he has been very cautious with his body to prevent any more serious injuries. Nonetheless, by the playoffs last year, he did appear to be hobbled. Now that he has had an offseason to recover and claims to be feeling better than ever, fans were expecting a different tone to the season. The problem with sitting out games is that pressure is stacked up on the post season. If results are not shown on the court then, coaches, general managers, and fans will be up in arms about the ineffective tactics. With other stars playing all or nearly all of the 82 games during the season, if Kawhi is not dominating them in the playoffs, it all will be for nothing.
Media coverage this year has been particularly aggressive against “load management.” So much so that the narrative of the season will be pushed against Kawhi if he does not go all the way to winning another championship. One of the most controversial moments thus far is his decision to sit out a primetime nationally televised game against the Milwaukee Bucks. The league was certainly not impressed, and neither were the fans. Should this strategy be implemented for other players around the league?
A lot of this argument comes down to opinion. Until we can really see the results come playoffs this spring, the issue will be subjective. In my opinion, while I believe that Kawhi Leonard has the right to sit out as many games as he and his team would like him to, I also believe that this method has gone a bit too far. The NBA will need to make a decision on how to limit the number of games players can sit so that they can guarantee their stars will be playing when a national audience tunes in. Therefore, “load management” should be applied in scenarios where players are hurt, whether mild or severe, and if at the end of the season, victories are no longer needed to enter the playoffs. Otherwise, players who are fit and healthy should be playing. Sports are entertainment, without fans, they do not exist. Keeping star athletes active should be the priority for leagues looking to maintain and grow their fanbase.