The Competition Committee Is Proposing A Rule That Would Allow The NBA To Penalize Teams For Resting Players

ESPN- The competition committee also recommended a plan to the board of governors to curb the resting of healthy players in the regular season, league sources told ESPN. The proposed guidelines for resting players will encourage teams to sit healthy players for home rather than away games, and discourage the practice during nationally televised games.

The board of governors will vote on instituting the changes at a meeting in New York on Sept. 28. The plans will need a two-thirds majority to pass into legislation.

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I want to congratulate the fans. They finally got their way. From here on out, they won't get caught traveling to see players who aren't in the lineup due to an inconveniently timed rest day. Nope, now they'll get caught traveling to see players who aren't in the lineup due to some mysteriously abrupt  illness or some surprisingly quick-healing health concern. Of course, that will result in the same level of disappointment regardless, but at least the more naive attendees will get to grasp tightly to the ridiculous notion that the players/teams care more about putting on a show for spectators in late March than they do about being healthy enough to hoist a trophy in early July.

Assuming this proposal goes through, is it really going to do anything other than slightly mute those that find themselves outraged by the idea of professional athletes prioritizing the durability of their body over the mid-season, Thursday night viewing experience of couch bound fans? Maybe we get 2-3 more primetime games between contending teams whose intrigue isn't undercut by the presence of a superstar sitting court side in a suit? Just seems like much to-do about a problem that is  inherent to the NBA because of how top heavy it is with "must-watch" athletes. Like, the league is doing so well because of it's otherworldly talent that it becomes a big deal when some of that talent decides it needs a break from jumping through hoops in a game whose outcome surely doesn't have a significant impact on the standings. 

Obviously I was disappointed when anyone who is anyone on the Warriors and Spurs took a personal day during what was supposed to be a much-anticipated Saturday night clash of the titans. Surely I would be annoyed if I paid to go see the Caveliers play only to be stuck staring at the back of LeBron's balding ass head all game. I just can't get all that worked up about it when it's that upper echelon of teams and players that are basically saving the best for last by making sure they are fully locked and loaded come playoff time.