A lot has been made about teams resting players whether in agreement or as the opposition. Some fans, even players hate the new resting strategy that has been adopted in the NBA while organizations and coaches view it as preventative maintenance on the bones and muscles of their players.
Well, I’m one of those people that can’t pick a side who sticks in the middle. I see the argument from both sides and each explanation is warranted. Coaches want to save their players for when it truly matters in the postseason. The scheduling of multiple games in a few nights including back-to-backs, takes a huge toll on the bodies of NBA players. And when considering guys who play a bunch of minutes like Anthony Davis, or are increasing in age similar to LeBron James, or even guys who play as hard as Russell Westbrook night in and night out, it only makes sense that these respective organizations try to preserve their players. These guys mean so much to their teams that the risk of them getting injured is too catastrophic so resting is in their best interest.
However, I can relate to that NBA fan that pays money to see their favorite player play that they don’t get to see often. Just to find out that he’s resting. Basketball tickets aren’t cheap and not every fan can afford them on a consistent basis or even travel to see their team play. So sometimes it only comes down to that one opportunity when they’re in town. Fans pay their hard earned money for tickets and it’s only right that they get to see what’s advertised and what they paid for.
I truly believe that this is something that won’t be fixed for years to come. Organizations don’t believe their doing any wrong and the NBA doesn’t have the leverage to do anything about the situation at the current moment. But I do believe there is one solution that could put a band-aid on this dilemma. That solution is allowing fans to get their money back if they bought their tickets prior to becoming aware of who’s resting. I truly believe this would ease those fans who have a huge problem with teams resting players. Yes it would hurt the pockets of the individual teams and the league but that’s something they would have to cope with for allowing players and teams to go the resting route.
Another possible solution is forcing teams to plan for rest ahead of time. If teams have to announce who’s resting and when they’re resting in advance, that could ease the kickback from fans while also diminishing the chances of refunds. Regardless, the league is going to have to address this issue sooner or later. Although it’s understandable from a player and team perspective, fans are not happy about this outcome and eventually, the hand of the NBA is going to be forced.
