LeBron James gets preferential treatment from NBA as new rule TARGETING Kawhi Leonard not applicable to Lakers superstar

LeBron James is one of seven players who will be exempt from the NBA’s new rule in regard to resting stars.

LeBron James gets preferential treatment from NBA as new rule TARGETING Kawhi Leonard not applicable to Lakers superstar

LeBron James and Kawhi Leonard (Credits: ESPN and SI)

The league is taking steps to address the issue of load management, which has been a concern in the NBA for the past several years. The league is implementing a new rule aimed at reducing how often teams rest their star players by having them sit out games. The new policy defines a star player as someone who has received All-NBA or All-Star team honors within the past three seasons. However, there will be exceptions for certain players who meet this criteria.

The league can pre-approve load management for star players who are either 35 years old by opening night or have accumulated 34,000 regular-season minutes or a combined 1,000 regular-season and playoff games. Seven players meet this criteria, and among them is LeBron James, who will be embarking on his 21st season in the upcoming NBA season.

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Additionally, as per ESPN’s Bobby Marks, pre-approval for load management will also apply to players with a history of extensive injuries, although this will be determined on a case-by-case basis. The league will also consider exceptions for players who may need to be sidelined due to personal reasons, injuries, roster management, or late-season flexibility.

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As the league takes measures to address load management, numerous players are expected to be impacted by these changes. Kawhi Leonard is among the players who have frequently missed games, citing load management, a strategy aimed at preserving his health and career longevity. However, this practice, particularly sitting out in back-to-back games, has frustrated fans.

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LeBron James and six other players qualify for exception to NBA’s new resting rule

LeBron James
LeBron James (Credit: ESPN)

Apart from LeBron James, six additional players meet the criteria for an exception to the NBA’s new resting rule. Among these exceptions are prominent players like Stephen Curry and Kevin Durant, both of whom are future Hall of Famers with plenty of miles left on the odometer.

Joining the ranks of those who qualify for this exception are Chris Paul, James Harden, DeMar DeRozan, and Mike Conley.

Players who do not fall within this exception and cannot obtain pre-approval for sitting out games will subject their teams to substantial fines. Additionally, the NBA will have the authority to initiate immediate investigations in cases where a star player misses a national TV or in-season tournament game, multiple star players are absent from the same game, or there are conflicting public statements regarding a star player’s availability.

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