The Detroit Free Press may or may not have reminded me about a new rule changeDid I hear about this before and forget? Or did I completely just miss it until now? I don't know. :
The new NBA collective bargaining agreement changed the way coaches will set their active rosters this season, and the change should help a deep team like the Pistons.
Say good-bye to alleged back spasms, and hello to the inactive list.
In the past, only 12 players could remain on the active roster, and the other players went on injured reserve -- whether they were really injured or not -- and stayed there at least three games.
The new rules are similar to hockey's healthy scratch. A few hours before game time, coaches will submit their active list. The other three players make up the inactive list for that night. And the coach can change which 12 guys he activates on a game-by-game basis.
That means if a star player must sit out one game, another player normally on the injured list can play that night without forcing the coach to sit the starter for three games.
This is long overdue. The old system often resulted in teams playing shorthanded as key players were sidelined with day-to-day type injuries. Now, no worries.
All the rookies have to love this new rule. They won't have to go on the injured list with any fake injuries, and now they'll be available for spot duty if a guy in the rotation needs to sit a game or two with a minor injury.
Pistons get boost from inactive list [Detroit Free Press]