Kawhi Leonard thinks NBA’s new Player Participation Policy is aimed at him

Kawhi Leonard just isn’t glad in regards to the NBA’s new Participant Participation Coverage. Actually, Leonard appeared to take it as a private jab by the affiliation when requested about it throughout the Clippers media day. The so-called “king” of Los Angeles just isn’t impressed with the brand new rule and says it received’t assist him play extra.

“If the league is attempting to mock what I did with the Raptors, it ought to cease as a result of I used to be injured throughout that entire 12 months,” Leonard mentioned. “… No league coverage helps me to play extra video games.”

Over the previous few years, Leonard has garnered a status because the poster boy for “load administration” across the league. Whether or not truthful or foul, that’s been Kawhi’s moniker across the league for a while now. This was massive as a result of we not often hear Leonard converse, and he sounded fairly agitated on the notion of this new rule.

Some have dubbed this the “Kawhi Leonard rule,” which may be a bit harsh. Nonetheless, optics imply all the pieces, particularly within the social media age, the place we get information and updates by the minute. Sitting out the entrance or again finish of back-to-back video games when it’s clearly a state of affairs of “resting” will elevate eyebrows if completed continuously sufficient.

That’s to not say Leonard hasn’t been injured quite a bit, particularly since shifting to Los Angeles to play with the Clippers. Leonard resting could not at all times be his alternative as generally the group will determine to sit down a participant who’s just lately recovered from damage or “handle” their load. Steph Curry spoke on this earlier this 12 months, saying many instances it’s the group’s determination to sit down a participant.

“I marketing campaign to play each sport,” Curry instructed the media. “That’s the misperception about load administration. It’s by no means the participant that’s saying, ‘Hey, I wanna sit.’”

Listening to Curry say this isn’t a shock as a result of San Antonio Spurs head coach Gregg Popovich made the entire load administration phenomenon widespread years in the past. That goes again effectively over a decade. Let’s not overlook Curry’s head coach, Steve Kerr performed for Popovich towards the tip of his profession, so it is sensible. However as star gamers, it’s onerous to consider they haven’t any say in whether or not they play or sit. In a star-driven league, it’s onerous to promote that ticket.

Both method, the NBA is trying to right this for the sake of followers (and TV networks) spending hard-earned cash to see sure gamers on the courtroom. Leonard could certainly be the primary identify that involves thoughts when pondering of load administration, however he isn’t the one perpetrator by any means.

Like most guidelines, somebody will discover a strategy to circumvent what the NBA is trying to wash up. It’s only a matter of when, not if, and the way commissioner Adam Silver decides to take care of the responsible events. It’s onerous to inform an athlete they need to play and aren’t injured sufficient to overlook a sport. The affiliation is getting into murky waters regarding this new rule.