NBPA calls for changes to NBA’s 65-game rule amid injury concerns

The National Basketball Players Association (NBPA) is urging the National Basketball Association (NBA) to revisit its controversial 65-game rule, arguing that the policy has unfairly sidelined deserving players from end-of-season awards.

The rule, introduced as part of the current collective bargaining agreement between the league and its players, requires individuals to appear in at least 65 regular-season games to qualify for major postseason honors. It was designed to discourage load management and ensure that the league’s biggest stars are available for the majority of the season.

However, the NBPA now believes the rule is too rigid—particularly in cases involving legitimate injuries.

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Detroit Pistons guard Cade Cunningham has become a central example in the debate. Despite putting together what many consider a career-defining campaign, Cunningham is at risk of falling short of the 65-game threshold after suffering a collapsed lung. He has appeared in 61 games so far and is expected to miss additional time.

In a strongly worded statement, the NBPA criticized the policy:

The NBPA released a statement calling for the NBA’s 65-game rule to be abolished or reformed to create exception for significant injures such as Cade Cunningham’s, per @ByTimReynolds. pic.twitter.com/x4EwaskEb4

— Zero Gravity (@zgsportsmedia) March 24, 2026

“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,” NBPA said in a statement.

Cunningham’s agent, Jeff Schwartz, echoed those sentiments, emphasizing the need for context when evaluating player eligibility:

“Cade has delivered a first-team All-NBA season. If he falls just short of an arbitrary games-played threshold due to legitimate injury, it should not disqualify him from recognition he has clearly earned over the course of the season. The league should be rewarding excellence, not enforcing rigid cutoffs that ignore context. An exception needs to be made,” Cunningham’s agent Jeff Schwartz told ESPN.

Cunningham is not alone. Several high-profile stars—including LeBron James, Giannis Antetokounmpo, and Stephen Curry—have already been ruled ineligible for postseason awards due to the same requirement. Meanwhile, Nikola Jokic and Victor Wembanyama are approaching the cutoff, placing their eligibility in jeopardy as well.

Cleveland Cavaliers standout Donovan Mitchell acknowledged the intent behind the rule but admitted its unintended consequences:

“It’s for the right reasons, but it’s tough. We get paid money to be out there, but there’s certain things you can’t control. It’s not like guys are resting and missing these games. These are legitimate injuries, so it’s something to look at for sure because there’s no way certain guys should be in this scenario,” Cleveland superstar Donovan Mitchell added.

While the 65-game rule was implemented to preserve the integrity of the regular season, its application has sparked growing concern across the league. As injuries continue to impact even the game’s brightest stars, pressure is mounting on the NBA to introduce flexibility—balancing accountability with fairness—so that exceptional performance is not overshadowed by circumstances beyond a player’s control.

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