re: Pels to “restructure” player care/performance dept

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I don't get why it was a bad idea. He had no stamina and was most effective playing in short bursts, plus less minutes=less opportunity for injury.

If he's only going to play 20ish minutes, six 3-4 minute bursts seems like a good target.

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Medical decisions should be based on available evidence and data. There is literally no evidence or data to support what you just said or what Nelson decided to do with bursts. It was a theory that Nelson acted as if was a proven standard.

The main problem with the bursts was that a rehab professional's chief objective is to get a patient back to their normal activities as quickly as possible. For example, an offshore oil field worker is not rehabbed the same as a bank employee. A patient with a mandate to return to work in less than six weeks before they start losing pay is not rehabbed the same as a retired patient. Aaron Nelson's chief job was to rehab a 19 year old phenom to be ready to play NBA basketball as soon as possible. He instead chose to hold Williamson out an extra 5 weeks at minimum and then severely limited his participation based on no proven, scientific data. In fact, as stated in the article, Williamson's best season with regard to injury was the season in which he had the least limitations placed on him.

The bursts were the result of an arrogant medical professional who was unwilling to bend on their desired protocol. This happens all the time in the real world. Patients switch doctors because they don't feel their treatment plan is best for them or it is not standard practice. Nelson is making a ton of money and has a responsibility to have players available and to put them in the best position to succeed. He chose to step outside of accepted practice and hold out a healthy superstar. It didn't work. Now he will be held accountable for his plan not working. Good riddance.