On Thursday, it was reported by ESPN NBA insider Shams Charania that Detroit Pistons star point guard Cade Cunningham would miss extended time due to a collapsed lung. The scary situation occurs just as the Pistons are gearing up for a playoff run, in which they will likely be the number one seed in the Eastern Conference.
Depending on how much time Cunningham misses, it's possible that he could miss out on eligibility for end of season NBA awards, including First Team All-NBA and others, which require that a player take the floor for a minimum of 65 games.
If Cunningham indeed misses the cut, it would only further fuel backlash to the award eligibility rules. The league first implemented the 65-game minimum in an attempt to curtail load management, which, in fairness, was a very real concern at the time, and still is to some extent. It's also true that the best ability is availability, and there is certainly a limit to how much value a player can provide to their team if they are out of the lineup consistently, for whatever reason.
However, if Cunningham indeed misses out on eligibility, the All-NBA teams could have some faces that many fans would not have played up to that level on the court. Players like Nikola Jokic and Shai Gilgeous-Alexander are already teetering on the edge of eligibility due to previous injury absences, as is San Antonio Spurs star Victor Wembanyama.
Cunningham potentially missing out on recognition at the end of the season could be the final nail in the coffin that forces the NBA to make a switch this offseason.
For now, Cunningham figures to be a lock for First Team All-NBA, and a potential candidate for the league MVP award.
