Imagine an NBA without injuries.
No more load management, no more luck-based playoff runs, no more "what ifs." Just pure hoops.
Well, that may be a slight exaggeration. Freak injuries such as Okongwu's infamous chipped/dislodged teeth are always bound to happen, regardless of league-wide approach and strategy. That being said, injuries that pop up as a result of continued stress on players' bodies over a long period of time could see a massive dip if a certain idea is implemented.
Long has the idea of a 65-game NBA regular season been floated. Unfortunately, this would (likely) mean reduced profit margins for the league, as a significant percentage of overall revenue is directly sourced from ticket sales, concessions, and everything that comes with fans attending in-person games.
At the same time, players have every right to ask for a change, given the increase in injuries that have occurred in recent years. Is there a way to achieve a lesser physical toll while still maintaining league-wide revenue?
The best of both worlds: an extended season
The solution that offers perhaps the most intrigue would extend the NBA season. I don't mean beyond 82 games; I mean further across the calendar year.
Rather than reducing game frequency from 3.5 games/week to 2.5 games/week through a reduction of 17 games in the same timespan (most notably, eliminating the grueling back-to-back games in the NBA), what if the league achieved the same reduced game frequency by starting the season earlier (or ending it later)?
Rather than the league-wide opening tipoff occurring in late October, it could occur in early September. Forget an extensive preseason with meaningless games, if necessary. On the other hand, the playoffs could start in late May rather than early April. Either way, the same end result is achieved: a reduction in game frequency through an extension of approximately 6 weeks of regular-season play.
This approach would help maintain profit margins for the league, which is no doubt an issue at the forefront of these discussions. The NBA is a business, after all. In addition, it would still achieve the same injury reduction as the 65-game approach, simply in a different manner. 2.5 games played per week would still be achieved, inflicting a far lesser toll on players' bodies than 3.5 games per week.
It's unlikely that any major scheduling change will occur in the NBA anytime soon. That being said, Atlanta fans can't help but wonder. What if the Trae Young playoff injury didn't happen? What if Jalen Johnson were healthy last season? What if Trae didn't get hurt this year? Would he still be a Hawk?
We'd be holding spectacles to an entirely different league, a fairer, more equitable, and safer league, if this type of idea took root, and time will tell if the NBA is bold enough to implement such a change.