Kawhi Leonard isn’t satisfied in regards to the NBA’s new Participant Participation Coverage. If truth be told, Leonard perceived to take it as a private jab by means of the affiliation when requested about it all over the Clippers media day. The so-called “king” of Los Angeles isn’t inspired with the brand new rule and says it received’t lend a hand him play extra.
“If the league is attempting to mock what I did with the Raptors, it will have to prevent as a result of I used to be injured all over that entire yr,” Leonard stated. “… No league coverage helps me to play extra video games.”
Over the last few years, Leonard has garnered a name because the poster boy for “load control” across the league. Whether or not honest or foul, that’s been Kawhi’s moniker across the league for a while now. This used to be giant as a result of we hardly ever listen Leonard discuss, and he sounded slightly agitated on the perception of this new rule.
Some have dubbed this the “Kawhi Leonard rule,” which may well be a little harsh. Alternatively, optics imply the entirety, particularly within the social media age, the place we get information and updates by means of the minute. Sitting out the entrance or again finish of back-to-back video games when it’s obviously a scenario of “resting” will elevate eyebrows if achieved incessantly sufficient.
That’s to not say Leonard hasn’t been injured so much, particularly since shifting to Los Angeles to play with the Clippers. Leonard resting won’t at all times be his selection as once in a while the workforce will make a decision to take a seat a participant who’s lately recovered from harm or “set up” their load. Steph Curry spoke in this previous this yr, pronouncing time and again it’s the workforce’s choice to take a seat a participant.
“I marketing campaign to play each sport,” Curry advised the media. “That’s the misunderstanding about load control. It’s by no means the participant that’s pronouncing, ‘Good day, I wanna sit down.’”
Listening to Curry say this isn’t a marvel as a result of San Antonio Spurs head trainer Gregg Popovich made the entire load control phenomenon standard years in the past. That is going again neatly over a decade. Let’s now not omit Curry’s head trainer, Steve Kerr performed for Popovich towards the tip of his profession, so it is smart. However as superstar gamers, it’s arduous to imagine they’ve no say in whether or not they play or sit down. In a star-driven league, it’s arduous to promote that price tag.
Both approach, the NBA is having a look to proper this for the sake of enthusiasts (and TV networks) spending hard earned cash to look positive gamers at the courtroom. Leonard would possibly certainly be the primary title that involves thoughts when pondering of load control, however he isn’t the one offender in any way.
Like maximum laws, any person will have the ability to avoid what the NBA is trying to scrub up. It’s only a topic of when, now not if, and the way commissioner Adam Silver comes to a decision to maintain the accountable events. It’s arduous to inform an athlete they will have to play and aren’t injured sufficient to leave out a sport. The affiliation is coming into murky waters regarding this new rule.
