Fizdale not worried about Barrett's minutes or 'load management crap'

New York Knicks rookie RJ Barrett entered the weekend leading the NBA in minutes played per game, and he was on the court for 41 minutes during Sunday's 113-92 loss to the Sacramento Kings.

But head coach David Fizdale isn't worried about overusing the club's rising star.

"He's got the day off tomorrow," Fizdale said postgame. "We gotta get off this load management crap. Latrell Sprewell averaged 42 minutes for a season. This kid's 19 years old. Drop it already."

Sprewell played 40-plus minutes per game in five of his 13 NBA seasons, including a career-high 43.1 per night during his second campaign. The four-time All-Star averaged 38.6 minutes throughout his career.

Load management became a controversial topic during the 2018-19 NBA season, but the strategy eventually proved pivotal in helping then-Toronto Raptors superstar Kawhi Leonard remain fresh for the club's championship pursuit.

Barrett entered Sunday's affair averaging a team-high 17.7 points, 6.5 boards, 3.3 assists, and 1.5 steals across six appearances.

New York is 1-6 this season, and the team returns to action on Wednesday against the Detroit Pistons.