“Ain’t no load management” – Bengals star Mike Hilton drops in on NFL vs NBA debate after Paul George’s comments

Paul George gave a hot take on his Podcast P show, saying that NFL players cannot make a successful transition to the NBA. The eight-time NBA All-Star said this when his co-host, Dallas Rutherford, raised the topic:

"I don't think a football (NFL) player can cross over to the NBA. Our game is completely skill. For me, I think, for an NFL guy to be able to play in the league, they got to be hell of a shooters, right? Because otherwise, we're not gonna guard you."

Mike Hilton did not take Paul George’s recent comments lightly. The Cincinnati Bengals cornerback tweeted:

“Idk (I don’t know) if some of them would make it the whole season. Ain’t no load management.”

While there are only 17 games in an NFL regular season, football's brutally physical nature can take a toll on players. Careers can end instantly, and lives can be put in danger, as was faced by Damar Hamlin.

Load management refers to pre-determined night-offs in the NBA, especially if the player has no known injuries. Teams often resort to this approach to conserve their player’s energy for the playoffs or if they are tanking to get a higher draft pick. These rest days can also reduce players’ odds of getting injured in a sport with several isolation plays.

The practice became more prominent when San Antonio Spurs head coach Gregg Popovich would designate reasons such as “DNP (did not play) – rest” or “DNP-old.”

However, it became a significant concern because basketball stars like LeBron James and Kawhi Leonard resorted to the practice. Leonard played only 60 regular-season games before leading the Toronto Raptors to an NBA title in the 2018-19 season.

As a result, the league banned teams from resting players “under unusual circumstances” during nationally-televised games and road games of the 2020-21 season. Teams that break this rule will have to pay a $100,000 fine. But even then, making a player look injured is one way of working around the league’s guidelines on load management.

Hilton signed a four-year, $24 million contract with the Cincinnati Bengals in 2021. He will earn a base salary of $4.35 million in 2023. He played 14 games last season, finishing with 53 total tackles, six interceptions, and an interception.

Hilton might take more offense from Paul George’s statements

Paul George went on to mention some NFL players who made a successful transition from basketball to football. He said:

“And I think there's really good guys that have played both. You think like about Julius Peppers, you think about Tony Gonzalez. Like, the tight ends have made great transitions, whether it was basketball to football or football to basketball.”

Still, Paul George quickly put things into perspective by identifying players, including himself, who could make a successful NBA-to-NFL transition:

“I think we have a better chance. Imagine if 'Bron (Lebron James) was in the NFL. Who the f*ck is stopping 'Bron? Imagine Russ (Russell Westbrook). Russ is 6'3", 6'4". Built, fast, and sh*t. Russ could play safety. I think guys in the NBA could make that transition. I think I could have played wide receiver."

He added:

“You can't shoot. Like, that athleticism, that strength, that means nothing if you can't shoot the ball in our league…I'm not saying that guys can't play at a high level. But I think as far as playing in the NBA, I don't think there's a chance."

Paul George is playing in his fourth season with the Los Angeles Clippers. He was drafted 10th overall by the Indiana Pacers in 2010 and was traded to the Oklahoma City Thunder in 2017. Paul George is currently inactive due to a knee injury.