Charles Barkley on NBA load management: 'If you can play, shut the hell up and play'
Former Auburn basketball legend Charles Barkley recently sounded off on load management in the NBA.
Far too often are superstars held out of large portions of the NBA season due to load management. The NBA enforced a new participation policy back in September fining teams for resting their star players in specific situations. Per CBS Sports, The new rules aim to stop teams from sitting multiple stars in the same game, sitting stars during nationally televised and in-season tournament games and shutting down stars for extended stretches.
Players like Ben Simmons, Jayson Tatum, Kawhi Leonard, Stephen Curry, Anthony Davis, Giannis Antetokounmpo, Zion Williamson, Joel Embiid, James Harden and Kevin Durant are all examples of players who would be subject to fines underneath this new rule if they were to sit out for specific reasons while being capable of playing.
According to Barkley, players should be stepping up and playing the game if they're available and able.
“I’m talking to the players, man. Forget the ownership, forget the fans, as a player, if you’re going to make $50 or 60 million a year to play basketball three or four days a week, play basketball, man,” said Barkley during NBA on TNT. “Now, if you’re injured, don’t play. But everybody’s hurt after the first two weeks of the season. Your legs sore, your knees sore. If you’re injured, I don’t want you to play.
“But the notion that, No. 1, bless these guys. If you’re making 30, 40, 50 million dollars to play basketball four days a week. Y’all have got the best shoes, you’ve got the best medical staff, you’ve got these guys sleeping in chambers, you’ve got ice baths [...] Man, if you can play, shut the hell up and play.”
Awful Announcing pointed out that Barkley was banging this drum back in February, too. Earlier this year he compared NBA players and their load management to steelworkers.
“It ain’t like we’re working in the steel mill, brother,” Barkley said in February. “I mean there’s people working the steel mill every day, I’m pretty sure they’re tired too. But they go to work every day, so yeah, I think load management is a big deal.”
Per Sports Illustrated, players will have to play 65 or more games to be eligible to win the MVP award under the league's new policy - a number Barkley hit in 13 of 16 seasons across his distinguished career.
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