The NBA Still Has a MAJOR Problem

The NBA player rest and participation policy is already on full display just 3 days into the season with both Devin Booker and Bradley Beal out of the Laker's home opener against phoenix.

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I'm a doctor and a sports fan and this channel is dedicated to exploring the unique medical side of the world of sports, including NBA, MLB, NFL, UFC, and many more! Breaking down the biggest what ifs, historical injuries and stories, and making learning about medicine fun and relevant for all sports fans!

DISCLAIMER: Content not intended to be taken as medical advice. Opinions are my own and do not represent those of my employer. I have not personally treated or evaluated the individual(s) discussed in this video. Content used with educational and transformative intent within Fair Use Guidelines
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[alanschwarz]

There’s also the liability issue — the NBA can’t tell a player he has to play through soreness, because if the player subsequently gets hurt the league is on the hook for damages. It’s the opposite of the NFL’s concussion policy, where the league is SUPPOSED to step in a keep the player FROM playing. Here they’re going to force a guy to play? No chance. Zero.

[AlexP-dzew]

Weird that they will make exceptions for age but not injury history. If a player like Zion or either of the Ball brothers needed to rest to prevent injuries when it is known they have a robust history of injury, why is that not an exception? They didn’t think enough about this policy before implementing it

[OJTheBLAK]

The league is different now. While there’s less “physicality”, players are still stressed. Rather than being worried about being pummeled, players are moving more than ever, contesting a ton of 3s, switching a ton on defense, more transition opportunities, etc. I dunno what the answer is, but injuries suck. Load management wasn’t the problem. Also, for the NBA to say that the science was wrong without giving any evidence is insane

[josepht]

This reminds me of what my wife went through years ago when she started having debilitating back issues. It took her out of work for a while and when she tried to get long term disability from work (where she sits at a desk for 10 hours a day) they sent her labs and imaging to an independent doctor who determined it wasn’t legitimate and she was denied disability. Not one in person physical examination by this doctor, and I thought as a medical professional myself (paramedic), that was interesting that they could make that diagnosis without ever seeing someone and physical examining them. This is going to be that same thing and the players and medical staff will be correct in defending themselves saying that these independent physicians aren’t there and shouldn’t be able to make that kind of determination just by looking at imaging, but never talking to the players themselves.

[semi]

Also, you need to play 65 games to qualify for awards. Booker will definitely be up for awards. Using one of a possible 17 games missed in game 2 for anything other than a legit reason wouldn't be smart.

I wonder if we are going to have a season of guessing if injuries or real or fake. It has never been in Booker's demeanor to rest so I don't think he is missing the game for rest.

The policy is doing the best it can. It shows the NBA's sincerity. The teams just have to show sincerity in return.

[Superfluider]

My EXP with modern Doctors, they wanna do what the patient want. I don't wanna protect the NBA there but Docs most of the time are lying as well. Now imagine a Team doc that has a close relationship with the player. He wants what the player want. I feel like if they get off the game and sit on the bench they should just get paid less.

[rdawgz]

I think one way to fix this is attacking it from the opposite direction, so you make a rule mandating that the minimum games a player can miss is 3, so if its legit soreness or an actual injury you should need at least 3 games which is approximately a week. Buts if its for a bs reason its much harder for team to manipulate if the player had to miss 3 games.

[LNgaming]

When a superstar is forced to play when he has foot soreness became of the player participation policy and then he gets a major injury, THEN WHAT! The NBA will look stupid.

If Booker said he has foot soreness and he cant go, then Suns needs to due their due diligence in protecting their player no matter how these whining fans feel about it. Its about winning a championship.

[proxactual]

Clinical notes should always include your objective tests (i.e., a lachmanns test for ACL, or the suite of deltoid ligament tests for a sprained ankle), functional tests, and your *interpretation* of those tests in the context of the overall athlete's readiness to play.

I think if the NBA enforces team medical staff to satisfy this minimum standard of note taking, it will empower the independent physician to make far more informed judgements about whether an athlete is actually unsafe to play

[lethalfang]

The problem cannot be fixed if the league and media treat playoff success as infinitely more important than regular season success.
Then the rational thing is to minimize regular season wear and tear for even the slightest advantage in playoffs.

[K_Diggy]

People are blaming the players but the Owners and GMs want these players to rest. They want these players at the end of the year to make playoffs pushes and to get far in the playoffs. As long as money is linked to the playoffs…players will be resting bc it’s in the best interests of the Owners.

[MikeWazowskisBurner]

Clearly doctors are not behind these types of policy changes. I would be curious to hear what a doctor like yourself would propose as an alternative.

[redhookbrooklyn]

These players today are not built like NBA players from the pass.

[monkeeee]

Josh Okogie is now the face of the franchise

[ruthlessfitness]

I’m 32 and if I play a couple games of pickup I’m having to rest my knees for a couple days..I could only imagine having to play a NBA game or a back to back on top of the practices….

[allylewis]

Hey Doc! You should take a look at Eric Brannstrom’s hit from the NHL yesterday. It was during the Senators vs. Islanders game, I’d love to know more about what happened!

[doomtho]

My inclination from the very beginning was that this sort of “player participation policy” was an absolutely terrible idea for a variety of reasons, not the least of which is the fact that it’s an inherently and unavoidably unenforceable idea, and after reading the official policy document my inclination has now become something more like virtual certainty. It’s honestly mind blowing to me that an organization with the resources of the NBA could possibly think for even a second that this policy would ever accomplish anything for the league other than serve as a potential (if not probable) source of embarrassment.

[theysayisagorilla]

I literally commented this on a diff post y'day. Teams will NEVER have to disclose a players injury officially unless theyre put on injured reserve. Therefore you can sit a player and list them as questionable due to some vague random prognosis thats complete nonsense.

[Joe-nheq]

This to me is the answer:
Split up the 82 fame Marathon of season into best of 3 series. Every week you play one game every other day against the same team. best of 3 takes the series.

This means no back to backs. Less travel. And you get to earn rest days by sweeping the other team.

[SparkyForce]

If they were to find a way to link it to the playoffs, fake injuries would be a non-issue.