NBA Commissioner Adam Silver addressed growing criticism of the league’s 65-game rule following Cade Cunningham’s recent injury, as debate intensifies around postseason award eligibility.
Speaking Wednesday, Silver responded to concerns raised by the National Basketball Players Association after Cunningham’s situation sparked renewed scrutiny of the policy. The rule, implemented to ensure players meet a minimum participation threshold for major awards, has faced backlash for potentially disqualifying standout seasons impacted by injury.
ClutchPoints NBA insider Brett Siegel shared Silver’s remarks on X, formerly Twitter:
“I’m not ready to say it’s not working. It is working… I’m not ready to say because there is a sense of unfairness for one player, that the rule doesn’t work.”
The NBPA issued a statement Tuesday criticizing the rule in light of Cunningham’s case:
“Cade Cunningham’s potential ineligibility for postseason awards after a career-defining season is a clear indictment of the 65-game rule and yet another example of why it must be abolished or reformed to create an exception for significant injuries. Since its implementation, far too many deserving players have been unfairly disqualified from end-of-season honors by this arbitrary and overly rigid quota.”
Cade Cunningham’s awards eligibility in jeopardy after injury
Cunningham, 24, has been in the midst of a breakout fifth season with the Detroit Pistons, averaging 24.5 points, a career-high 9.9 assists, 5.6 rebounds and a career-best 1.5 steals per game. He is shooting 46.1% from the field and 34.6% from three-point range across 61 games, logging 34.4 minutes per contest.
His production has played a central role in Detroit’s surge to the top of the Eastern Conference standings. The Pistons hold a 52-19 record and currently sit as the No. 1 seed as the regular season enters its final stretch.
However, Cunningham’s award eligibility is now in question after he suffered a collapsed lung last Wednesday. According to Shams Charania of ESPN, he is expected to miss “extended time,” leaving uncertainty about whether he will reach the 65-game threshold.
The situation has intensified league-wide discussion about balancing player health with award criteria, as the NBA and NBPA continue to evaluate the long-term implications of the rule.
