Seth Davis@SethDavisHoops
Some quick thoughts about Darryn Peterson. Some of this is semantics, but words are important!
First of all, I don't think this has anything to do with the NBA Draft. If anything, his taking himself out of so many games is what would hurt his stock. He's not saving his body or "shutting it down" to protect himself for the draft. If that were the case, there would be no reason to go to a place like Kansas in the first place. Short of his leg being amputated, he's going to be a top-three pick, and probably still No. 1 overall.
Second, this is not "load management." I know it's semantics, but that is a premeditated, predetermined decision. If he were on a minutes restriction, you wouldn't sit him for the second half. This term is being misapplied. Please cease and desist.
What's really going on? It's hard to tell. Perhaps this really is what it appears to be, that he has a tender hamstring (still) and issues with cramping (still, and mysteriously so), and he and his team (whoever that is) know that by pushing through soft tissue injuries, you risk hurting yourself worse and being out for a long period of time. In that sense, it's prudent to be careful given that it's the middle of February. If he does this in a Sweet Sixteen game, that's a very different matzoh ball.
Given this pattern, coupled with his decision not to try to play against Arizona despite feeling ill, it's fair to say this is a "bad look" and a major distraction for a team that has Final Four potential. If anyone were asking for my advice (which they're not), I would recommend that Kansas should put Peterson more in front of the cameras and let him explain that he really and truly does want to be playing, and be more transparent about how these decisions are being made in the moment. And most importantly, who is advising him? Bill Self is doing his best to explain and, when necessary, defend his player, but too often he seems as confused about what's going on as the rest of us.
