Kenny Smith defends players in NBA resting debate: 'Load management comes from management'

Former NBA player and current TNT analyst Kenny Smith shared his take on the ongoing "load management" debate, defending the players and adding they may not always be the ones who make the decision to sit a game out.

Load management has been a hot debate topic around the NBA for a couple of years, but it's become enough of an issue that the NBA itself is trying to crack down, with new policies for the 2023-24 season.

Under the new rules, teams can be fined for resting multiple star players − any player who was an All-NBA or All-Star selection in the prior three seasons − in nationally televised games or shutting down players for longer than is necessary.

Though according to Smith, it's not the players that are to blame for missing games due to rest, but the coach and training staff.

"It's actually pretty funny that the players are the ones being asked to [play in more games] when load management comes from management," Smith told USA TODAY Sports.

Smith said members of the training staff track players' usage and health status over the course of the season. When a player hits a certain playing time threshold, the staff advises coaches to let them rest.

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Kenny Smith on load management

Charles Barkley on load management

Smith's tone on load management − one that defended players and emphasized they were to blame for sitting out − was markedly different from that of his fellow "Inside the NBA" analyst and former player Charles Barkley.

"If you're gonna make $50, $60 million a year to play basketball three or four days a week, play basketball, man," Barkley said.

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New NBA load management rules

The NBA first attempted to cut back on load management in 2017 with a new player resting policy for the 2017-18 season. It prohibited teams from resting healthy players for any high-profile, nationally televised game. That policy is being replaced by the new player participation policy for the 2023-24 season.

According to the new policy, a team is not allowed to rest more than one healthy star player for the same game. As laid out in the player resting policy from 2017, teams are not permitted to rest healthy players for nationally televised games or in-season tournament games. Also returning from the 2017 policy is the rule that healthy players be present at games they're missing and visible to the fans.

In addition, teams need to distribute load management absences evenly between home and away games, and they are prohibited from long-term shutdowns of a player, akin to what the Trailblazers did with Damian Lillard at the end of last season.

The NBA would fine teams $100,000 for first-time violations, $250,000 for a second and $1.25 million for a third.

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NBA 2023-24 opening nights schedule

All times eastern.

Tuesday, Oct. 24

• Los Angeles Lakers 107 - 119 Denver Nuggets FINAL

• Phoenix Suns 108 - 104 Golden State Warriors FINAL

Wednesday, Oct. 25

• Atlanta Hawks @ Charlotte Hornets, 7 p.m., Bally Sports

• Washington Wizards @ Indiana Pacers, 7 p.m., Bally Sports, Monumental Sports Network

• Boston Celtics @ New York Knicks, 7 p.m., ESPN

• Houston Rockets @ Orlando Magic, 7 p.m., Bally Sports, Space City Home Network

• Cleveland Cavaliers @ Brooklyn Nets, 7:30 p.m., YES, Bally Sports

• Detroit Pistons @ Miami Heat, 7:30 p.m., Bally Sports

• Minnesota Timberwolves @ Toronto Raptors, 7:30 p.m., SN, Bally Sports

• Oklahoma City Thunder @ Chicago Bulls, 8 p.m., NBC Sports Chicago, Bally Sports

• New Orleans Pelicans @ Memphis Grizzlies, 8 p.m., Bally Sports

• Sacramento Kings @ Utah Jazz, 9 p.m., KJZZ, NBC Sports Bay Area

• Dallas Mavericks @ San Antonio Spurs, 9:30 p.m., ESPN

• Portland Trailblazers @ Los Angeles Clippers, 10:30 p.m., Bally Sports, ROOT SPORTS

Thursday, Oct. 26

• Philadelphia 76ers @ Milwaukee Bucks, 7:30 p.m., TNT

This article originally appeared on USA TODAY: Kenny Smith, Charles Barkley on load management amid new NBA rule