it's 17 games. you can get a hamstring injury, calf injury. or ankle, and that's it. Any lower-body injury will take you out the running.
the game is played a different way. It's more demanding on your body. he's only missed 8 games before this. he was playing. clearly it's important to him
Thats life though. Best ability is availability.
And its not like it was just sprung on him. Rule been around for 3 years now. Everybody knows what it is.
I didn't knock players for sitting under the previous system to preserve themselves for the playoffs. It was the game. Same here. Its the game.
He did not have a significant injury earlier in the season. He coulda played 4 of those games and this is a non story.
Kawhi Leonard is the posterboy for this rule. nikka bout to play 65 plus for the 2nd time in 3 years after failing to do so each of the previous 6. And he got a degenerative condition and and he is in his mid 30s now. If you bout your bread, you act accordingly. If you get legitimately hurt, thats tough but you still getting paid handsomely.