Recently, The Athletic conducted a player poll surrounding unique questions about the league's nuances. For example, multiple players elected newly acquire Bulls point guard Patrick Beverley the league's "trash talker."
They also polled players on how many games they believed a player should compete in to win the MVP award. DeMar DeRozan answered unapologetically to today's NBA climate.
“All of them. All 82. … Minimum? 78," DeRozan answered.
According to the poll results, the most answered number was 62 games. Some voted on not having a limit, while some said half of the season.
DeRozan wants to see players suit up, despite a report from "league official's team medical data" showing "unsafe" results for players to suit up for all 82 games.
The All-Star forward has never suited up in under 60 games for his ongoing 14-year career. The lowest number of games he's played in during a single season is, in fact, 60 games during the 2014-15 season.
Five candidates are leading the race for league MVP, according to NBA.com: Giannis Antetokounmpo, Nikola Jokic, Jayson Tatum, Kevin Durant and Ja Morant. They have played 47, 51, 55, 39 and 48 games, respectively.
NBA
DeRozan's preference would likely knock out Durant, who hasn't played in over 60 games in a season since the 2018-19 season. He missed the 2019-20 season entirely via an Achilles tear. Since then, he's played in 35 and 55 games during the consecutive two seasons.
Load management has been a consistent practice in the modern NBA. But, DeRozan isn't having it when it comes to the league's most valuable player.