Kevin Garnett started his NBA career when he was a teenager and ended it when he was just a shade under 40 years of age. To play for that long is extremely impressive. Still, Garnett's career could have been elongated even more.

Load management is a common practice in the NBA today but was not during the 2000s and mid-2010s, which is when Garnett played. During his prime years, he played upwards of 40 minutes per game and played in almost every contest in the vast majority of his seasons.

Doc Rivers, who Garnett played under during his last great seasons, has embraced load management and used it to his advantage for the stars he coached after Garnett, such as Joel Embiid and Kawhi Leonard. Per Jared Weiss of The Athletic, Garnett wished he had utilized load management back in his playing days. If he had, he boldly claimed, he would still be playing today as a 45-year-old.

This is the definition of a scorching hot take by Garnett. Very few NBA players reach even 40 years of age during their careers. When he retired, current Timberwolves star Karl-Anthony Towns was a rookie and Kevin Durant had not yet begun his stint with the Golden State Warriors. To say he would have lasted from that point until now throughout his 40s would be very hard to believe.

Despite the unrealistic take, it's refreshing to see a former NBA player discuss load management in a positive light. Although the practice is not always abided by today, it has proven that offering rest to players has helped them play longer and avoid long-term injuries