Get all your news in one place.
100’s of premium titles.
One app.
Start reading
USA Today Sports Media Group
USA Today Sports Media Group
Sport
Robert Zeglinski

Kawhi Leonard ironically didn’t know about the NBA’s new load management policies

Kawhi Leonard NBA Clippers

This season, the NBA will go all in to prevent the now infamous “load management” many teams utilize. Among the more notable tidbits, a new policy dictates that organizations are no longer allowed to rest more than one “star” player per game. Furthermore, they can’t just shut players down anymore without an apparent injury that has been approved.

When the Los Angeles Clippers held their media day on Monday, these policies were news to Kawhi Leonard — the Clippers’ talisman superstar. In his time away from the league and the Clippers, he legitimately did not know that the NBA was instituting new rules centered around managing player rest. To some, this was just classic Leonard, being hilariously stoic and oblivious to everything that doesn’t really matter to him on the court.

But there’s more here for a star many might consider the leading catalyst toward instituting these very policies.

Once someone explained the new rules to Leonard, he theorized that the league could be targeting him. The superstar famously once had a falling out with the San Antonio Spurs related to his health and playing time. And while he did tear an ACL during the 2021 campaign, Leonard hasn’t played more than 60 games in a regular season since 2016.

Naturally, Leonard said that no policy will keep him on the court more if he’s not healthy. Phew:

The start of the 2023 NBA regular season is in a little over three weeks. We likely won’t see what effect these load management-adjacent policies will have until we’re deeper into the league’s calendar.

But if someone like Leonard already has this kind of passionate reaction to them (by his standards, anyway), the NBA is probably holding its breath.

This is how Twitter reacted

 

Sign up to read this article
Read news from 100’s of titles, curated specifically for you.
Already a member? Sign in here
Related Stories
Top stories on inkl right now
One subscription that gives you access to news from hundreds of sites
Already a member? Sign in here
Our Picks
Theater apologizes over Richard Dreyfuss’ homophobic, sexist diatribe at Jaws screening
One social media user, whose girlfriend’s parents attended the event, said Dreyfus made offensive remarks about Barbara Streisand
The Independent UK
The Independent UK
This Big Study Found A Sleep Aid Hiding In Plain Sight
A Finnish study looks at the relationship between fruit and vegetable intake with sleep duration with some interesting and very specifics findings.
Inverse
Inverse
Hiker tries to snap close-up photos of elk at Grand Canyon National Park – it doesn't go too well
Elk are fast, powerful, and can be dangerous when threatened
Advnture
Advnture
Kourtney Kardashian Opens Up About Deciding to Stop IVF After 5 Rounds
She was responding to a fan question.
Marie Claire
Marie Claire
Courteney Cox Makes Hilarious 'Friends' Joke as Her Hair Frizzes in Miami
Opportunity: seized.
Marie Claire
Marie Claire
Lady Gaga performed on stage with Covid. Did we learn nothing from the pandemic?
The revelation that the popstar was ill during five shows has led to many celebrating her work ethic. It’s yet more evidence that our dangerous, damaging hustle culture is here to stay, writes Arwa Mahdawi
The Guardian - UK
The Guardian - UK
Fourteen days free
Download the app
One app. One membership.
100+ trusted global sources.
Download on the AppStore Get it on Google Play