Many longtime NBA enthusiasts and former players have often weighed in on the failure of current stars to play the entire 82-game season. NBA legend Julius Erving recently revealed that Los Angeles Clippers star Kawhi Leonard is his favorite player. The 1983 NBA champion also expressed concern about the two-time NBA champion’s poor load management.
Last season, the two-time NBA champion played 68 games and averaged 23.7 points, 6.1 rebounds, 3.6 assists, and 1.6 steals per game. While the Clippers had a spectacular run in the regular season, finishing fourth in the West with a 51-31 record, Tyronn Lue’s side suffered a first-round playoffs exit against the Dallas Mavericks.
Recently, the Clippers confirmed that Kawhi will be limited in training camp due to the inflammation in his right knee. Speaking on the ‘Mark Jackson Show,’ the Philadelphia 76ers legend expressed his frustration over Kawhi Leonard’s poor load management. Dr. J said, “Load management has messed me up because Kawhi was my guy. You know, San Antonio and Toronto, I’m in Kawhi’s corner. Then this load management stuff happened.”
Erving claimed Kawhi has turned “quiet,” adding, “He playing like every fourth game. I’m like the hell happened to my guy. What happened to 82 games man? He was a little different anyway because I spent some time with him at that NBA 75th anniversary. He’s just kind of quiet.”
Kawhi Leonard’s First Reaction To NBA’s Player Participation Rule
Last season, the NBA announced the player participation policy that fines franchises for unjustified resting of star players during games. At first, the Clippers star believed the league was seemingly taunting him with the new rule.
He said, “If the league is seeing or trying to mock what I did with the Raptors, they should stop because I was injured during that whole year. But other than that, if I’m able to play, I’ll play basketball. I work out every day in the summertime to play the game. So, no league policy is helping me to play more games.”
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Following Russell Westbrook’s move to the Denver Nuggets and Paul George’s free agency trade to the Philadelphia 76ers, the Clippers signed Derrick Jones Jr. and Kevin Porter Jr., among others. With the new season approaching, watching Kawhi Leonard and James Harden’s Clippers perform will be interesting.
