Load management has been a widely criticized topic in the NBA in recent years due to big names like Charles Barkley and more ripping players for sitting out when they’re able to play games.
Former Celtics greats Kevin Garnett and Paul Pierce are the latest to chime in and to no one’s surprise, they detest players sitting out games in order to rest.
“You get paid for 82 [games],” Garnett said on The Unleashed Podcast. “They pay you for 82. They pay you for 10 exhibition games. They pay you for the playoffs. They don’t pay you to play 70. They pay you to play 82. You understand?
“And then that says something about you on both sides of the ball,” he continued. “You know what kind of stamina you got to be in, you know what kind of shape you gotta be, you know what’s gotta be in your heart to play 82?”
During an interview with Yahoo Sports, Pierce echoed his former teammate’s sentiment and brought up fans’ perspectives.
“When you talk about hard-working people wanna come up and see a star play, and they’re just sitting down on the bench and not injured, people are coming to see the stars play,” Pierce said. “And so of course, that’s gonna be a natural complaint. And rightfully so, you know what I’m saying?”
The teammates won an NBA title in Boston back in 2008 and built Hall of Fame careers off of their toughness. Garnett was legendary for his intensity and ability to log so many minutes over his 21-year career. He emphatically called out today’s NBA players and their trainers.
“Ain’t no f------ trainer sit me down, shut yo a-- up, be the trainer, tape the ankles and move,” Garnett said. “Let me go out here and be great; let me show you I can work through this. It says a lot, man, when you can actually perform when you and you are not at 100%.”
