Nuggets find a way around the NBA's load management rules
3 minute readPublished: Tuesday, January 6, 2026 at 3:37 am
Nuggets Exploit NBA Load Management Rules, Sideline Key Players
Denver Nuggets' recent player absences have sparked controversy, highlighting a loophole in the NBA's load management regulations. The team strategically rested several key players for a nationally televised game against the Philadelphia 76ers, raising questions about the effectiveness of the league's efforts to ensure star players participate in high-profile matchups.
On Monday, the Nuggets announced that Jamal Murray, Christian Braun, Aaron Gordon, and Tim Hardaway Jr. would be sidelined for rest and maintenance. This decision, however, was made possible by a technicality within the NBA's Player Participation Policy. The league's load management rules, introduced in 2023, aim to prevent teams from resting healthy star players during nationally televised games. However, the policy defines "star players" based on specific criteria, including All-Star and All-NBA team selections.
Crucially, despite being a high-scoring player, Jamal Murray has not yet achieved either of these accolades. This technicality allowed the Nuggets to rest him and other players who don't meet the star player criteria without facing penalties.
Adding to the situation, the Nuggets are also dealing with injuries to key players like Nikola Jokic, Jonas Valanciunas, and Cameron Johnson. This combination of planned rest and injury absences meant the team was without a significant portion of its regular rotation for the game.
The NBA's load management rules were implemented to address the increasing trend of teams resting healthy players, which has been a concern for fans and the league alike. While the league has previously penalized teams for load management, the Nuggets' situation demonstrates a potential weakness in the current regulations.
BNN's Perspective: The Nuggets' actions, while technically within the rules, raise concerns about the spirit of the load management regulations. The league should consider refining its definition of "star player" to prevent teams from exploiting loopholes and ensure that fans get to see the league's top talent compete in nationally televised games.
Keywords: Denver Nuggets, NBA, load management, Jamal Murray, player participation policy, rest, injuries, nationally televised games, star players, rules, basketball.