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The NBA has seen its fair share of controversies throughout its 76-year history. However, a new issue has emerged in recent years that impact not just players and fans but also gamblers and fantasy sports enthusiasts – load management.
Load management refers to a team’s decision to rest a player, typically a star, during certain games to ensure he is healthy for the playoffs. The practice is particularly common for those with a lot of mileage, i.e., LeBron James, Kevin Durant, etc. For gamblers, load management can be a nightmare.
Betting lines are often based on the assumption that teams will be playing at full strength, and when star players are unexpectedly rested, it can throw off the entire equation. This can make it difficult for gamblers to accurately predict the outcome of games and result in financial losses.
Fantasy players face a similar problem. Most season-long NBA fantasy leagues have weekly matchups, which a player’s unforeseen absence can significantly impact. The same applies to daily fantasy, where users pick new lineups each day.
So, what can be done to address load management’s impact on the betting and fantasy community?
As part of its new CBA, the NBA announced that a player must appear in at least 65 games to be eligible for major regular-season awards such as MVP. However, it’s difficult to see this dramatically curtailing the problem, especially when the ultimate goal is a championship. I mean, does Kawhi Leonard really strike you as someone who cares about individual accolades? Does LeBron long for another MVP at this stage of his career?
Instead, part of the solution lies in the league being more transparent on the matter. Teams should be required to announce plans for load management well in advance, allowing bettors and fantasy players ample time to adjust their strategies.
To that end, the betting and fantasy community, too, must play a role.
This involves paying closer attention to team and player news and being willing to adjust picks and lineups at a moment’s notice. It may also mean finding ways to hedge bets or diversify lineups to mitigate the impact of unexpected load management decisions.
Load management is indeed a complex issue, and while there are potential solutions, it will require cooperation and creativity from all parties involved to address it effectively.