The Oklahoma City Thunder’s general manager, Sam Presti, has expressed his disagreement with the way the NBA is addressing the increase in injuries in recent seasons.
Presti: Insulting to minimize the relationship between workload and injuries
Presti, in statements to the media before the start of free agency and after his team’s victory in the seventh game of the NBA Finals, did not hesitate to criticize the league’s position. The executive considers it “almost insulting” to argue that there is no correlation between the number of matches, the players’ workload, and the frequency of injuries. Last season, the final was marred by the injury of Tyrese Haliburton of the Indiana Pacers, who suffered a ruptured Achilles tendon in the first quarter. This incident added to the injuries of Damian Lillard of Milwaukee and Jayson Tatum of Boston, also with ruptured Achilles tendons. In total, during the season, seven players suffered this serious injury.Presti’s comments seem directed at NBA commissioner Adam Silver, who stated last week that he doesn’t believe the season is too long and that it’s not clear if the number of games influences injuries. Silver argued that most Achilles injuries in the last ten years occurred before the All-Star break and that modern players, even in the off-season, sometimes train harder than during the regular season. Presti also mentioned the 65-game rule for qualifying for certain awards, the condensed schedule due to the mid-season tournament, and the league’s recent increase in allowed aggressiveness as possible factors. Presti emphasized that it’s not about players not wanting to play or being “soft,” but about recognizing the correlation between workload and injuries. The executive highlighted that the current game is very different from that of a decade ago, with more possessions and a more dynamic offensive game. According to Silver, the league has been using artificial intelligence to investigate the causes of Achilles injuries. Presti hopes the NBA adopts a less “defensive” stance and seeks solutions to the injury problem. The goal is a more rational and collaborative approach, rather than presenting data that suggests that playing more games leads to better health.I think what we need to do is move away from the defensive posture of trying to convince people, players and teams, that there is no connection between workloads and injuries. I think we’re bordering on a level that’s almost insulting.
Sam Presti
