Is load management a function of modern-day softness/comforts, or something else?

[tpols]

It all boils down to money.

If you made 30k in the 80s thatd be like what 50-60k today?

A star back then might make 500k a year... Now guys get 50 million a year some. You'd want to protect your body too with that potential sum.

NBA wages have dramatically outpaced inflation. They can thank computers and social media for the bump, with so many people making more money off content they have seen a slice of those revenues.

[90sgoat]

They also do it to extend their careers and maximize their earnings. The NBA salary system rewards longevity with all kinds of bonuses which only kick in after like 8-10 years. Look at Vince Carter.

Kobe's longevity as a top dog was probably the first. The man earned prime dollars for pretty much 15 years non-stop. Everyone wants that. They want a 20 year career, because even a lower salary for 20 years is a shitload of money.

Second, they tire themselves out more, because even if they play a high pace in the 80s, the ball moved more. Today they all dribble, dribble, dribble. More wear and tear from the dribbles.

[Jasper]

back to talking era ball

[aau]

AAU

this in a nutshell

game is developed in the gym - grit is developed outdoors

these kids wear sandals on the asphalt

[Hey Yo]

Only after he'd accomplished the greatest feat in 3-pointer basketball (3-peat), and become goat... so not a good example

Today's players have load management without having done anything

Of course, MJ's baseball stint wasn't load management - his dad got murdered and that's a tough loss to take for a goat that isn't used to losing.. it's like somebody said "f*ck your 3-peat goat bs - take that mf'er - ur dad's dead"..

hard to get motivated after that

It absolutely was. He could barely handle playing an extended season in 1992. Minor league baseball was nothing short of sitting on your ass doing nothing while recovering from the "excruciating pain" he was going through mentally and physically.

[Hey Yo]

They also do it to extend their careers and maximize their earnings. The NBA salary system rewards longevity with all kinds of bonuses which only kick in after like 8-10 years. Look at Vince Carter.

Kobe's longevity as a top dog was probably the first. The man earned prime dollars for pretty much 15 years non-stop. Everyone wants that. They want a 20 year career, because even a lower salary for 20 years is a shitload of money.

Second, they tire themselves out more, because even if they play a high pace in the 80s, the ball moved more. Today they all dribble, dribble, dribble. More wear and tear from the dribbles.

He was in the league for 9yrs before he became top dog on the Lakers.

Only 8yrs of playing 66 games or more after becoming top dog. One year of 58gms and then the rest didn't even count as years due to injury or farewell tour.

[MrFonzworth]

It's a product of the advancements of technology, too many ways to access internet now. It was bad when family's only had just a computer in the living room, but now your son can literally see a pair of tiddies at any second of the day.

[Trollsmasher]

the game is simply much harder these days

an average plumber was like 200 lbs in the '80s... it's 225 today

combined with the far more taxing offensive and defensive schemes which involve constant screening and cutting as opposed to easy running up and down the court with no defense during the '80s it should be pretty obvious that the game has simply evolved far beyond what it used to be

[TheCorporation]

LeBron made 8 straight Finals and you bash him for not making the damn playoffs. He still had motivation to at least play. Not like Jordan who had his dad killed and retired to hide him being suspended.

But but 3 peat...

My goodness


/thread

[3ball]

Some of you guys are saying these guys need to protect their paycheck but their contract is guaranteed

And how is it possible to get paid way more, to play way less?

So those arguments don't work - today's player and overall humans are just softer.. this is standard evolution as comforts and standard of living increases as time goes on

If the US took a downturn and started turning into a 3rd world country, i GUARANTEE that guys would start playing 82 games again like it's standard

[PP34Deuce]

I can't believe no one has mentioned the obvious.

With the rise of stat geeks and stats being a impact on bonuses, a lot of these players would rather miss the games and maintain their average than play 15 20 minutes.

Guys of the 80's played 82 games but most of them only played 15 or so minutes that lasst 2 weeks of the season.

Guys nowadays realize a DNP makes sure their numbers don't change.

They all do it. Bron, Giannis, Westbrook, Durant, etc....

Guys can play 82 games if their business and ventures fueled by their stats didn't matter.

[bullettooth]

I can't believe no one has mentioned the obvious.

With the rise of stat geeks and stats being a impact on bonuses, a lot of these players would rather miss the games and maintain their average than play 15 20 minutes.

Guys of the 80's played 82 games but most of them only played 15 or so minutes that lasst 2 weeks of the season.

Guys nowadays realize a DNP makes sure their numbers don't change.

They all do it. Bron, Giannis, Westbrook, Durant, etc....

Guys can play 82 games if their business and ventures fueled by their stats didn't matter.

*cough*

LeBrons been in the league for 16 years. He's played a full 82 game season ONCE.

There's your load management.

[Rico2016]

Imagine only making three consecutive Finals max and taking multiple years off in between each time, meanwhile facing laughably weak competition and skipping out on your country in the 1996 Olympics.

Michael "Load Management" Jordan

Pathetic

[Vino24]

MJ pioneered load management

[brooks_thompson]

That’s why guys in the 80s have worse longevity. Imagine the extra years bird would have playing less minutes with some rested games. It comes from the teams usually, healthy guys want to play as much as possible

Along with sports science just being more of a thing now where doctors know exactly how many steps is enough to increase the risk of leg injuries, you can blame pop who’s the forefather. Teams are going copy him when they see two stars he coached contributing well in their late 30s

Dog, Bird ****ed up his back shoveling gravel at his mom's house in the offseason. That's all that cut his career short.

Players' values increased because franchise values artificially quadrupled when Ballmer bought the Clippers for a price that was sure to force Sterling out. Then ESPN/ABC overvalued the NBA accordingly for TV rights. Then the cap jumped and Kevin Durant joined the Warriors. Then there happened to be 2 potentially all-time great players (Kawhi and Embiid), one who has a chronic condition, one who people desperately want to anoint as the next Hakeem so they walk on eggshells based on injury history (despite the latter's own disragard for training and fitness). All small things, really, but at the very tip of the scale so they get ridiculously magnified.