At All-Star Weekend, a longtime NBA executive remarked to me that the real benefit of load management is that “we won’t see so many great players’ careers cut short.”
Chris Paul had his meniscus removed in his knee 14 years ago; he’s 37. Kevin Durant had major foot surgery nine years ago and Achilles surgery four years ago; he’s 34, and still one of the best players in the league. Stephen Curry is largely injury free (knock on wood); he’s 35 and still very much Curry.
Brandon Roy-type situations are less prevalent. Players are thriving not into their 30s, but approaching their 40s.
What’s interesting is that the measures that teams are taking to preserve players’ bodies won’t, in most cases, actually benefit those teams.