Tyrese Haliburton’s tragic exit during last year’s NBA finals and Caitlin Clark’s injury on July 15 herald another season of lackluster professional basketball in Indiana; yet, these high-profile injuries have sparked a broader, national conversation too. Are the NBA and WNBA doing an adequate job protecting players, or are they just putting profit over players? We argue that the NBA is already doing more than enough to protect players.

It’s important to note that the league has already implemented extensive safety measures. Calls for more protection often overlook the significant safety measures the NBA has already taken to keep players safe. Over the past few years, the league has reshaped travel schedules, increased rest opportunities and introduced sports technology and analytics. Along with the organization as a whole, teams have increased their reliance on sleep specialists, physical analysts and in-game tracking data in order to adjust player workloads with utmost precision.

The league has also adopted new rules to reduce unnecessary physical contact: changes to the freedom of movement and stricter enforcement of flagrant fouls and reckless closeouts. Defensive play in the sport today is far less punishing than it was in the 1990s or even the late 2000s, when forceful interior play and hand-checking were routine. This development has significantly reduced the number of serious contact injuries, and has shifted most injuries in the modern sport to non-contact strains—something no rulebook can fully prevent. 

In light of these extensive protections, the notion that the NBA isn’t doing enough to protect players overlooks the progress that has been made through the past several decades. The league has not only been proactive; it has also built on existing systems aligned with the latest research to better prevent player injuries.

While figures like Warriors coach Steve Kerr argue that a shorter season might reduce injuries, doing so would compromise player development, team cohesion and competitive consistency. Adequate rest and training management—not a shorter schedule—mitigate injury risk. Maintaining the full season ensures growth and performance without undermining the league’s integrity.

But it’s important to keep in mind that just like any other high-intensity professional sport, injuries are extremely common. And for those like Caitlin Clark and Tyrese Haliburton, who push themselves—and their sport—to the limits, injuries are almost inevitable.

With the league doing all it can, the onus is on players to make the best decision regarding their health. Players, backed by their medical teams, know their bodies best. Every player and every injury is different, which means they should be evaluated on a case-by-case basis. That’s why the league allows for freedom in returning to the court. 

At the end of the day, Tyrese Haliburton, Caitlin Clark, and numerous other injured players are not blaming the NBA and WNBA for their injuries. After all, they are simply leagues—leagues that are doing all they can to protect their players.

The views in this column do not necessarily reflect the views of the HiLite staff. Reach Laasya Avula and Shawn Feng at [email protected] and [email protected].