Refusal to change! Adam Silver officially responds to the 65-game award rule: I believe it is effective.

On March 26 Beijing time, NBA Commissioner Adam Silver stated that the league's current 65-game participation eligibility rule is operating successfully. Despite the players' union publicly calling for a revision of this rule this week, he currently has no intention of making adjustments.

This rule requires: a player must participate in at least 65 regular-season games to qualify for MVP voting and selection to the All-NBA Team and other major league honors. This rule has once again become a focal point of controversy because Pistons star Cade Cunningham, due to a pneumothorax issue, has only played 61 games this season and is expected to lose his eligibility for MVP voting and his previously anticipated chance to compete for an All-NBA Team spot.

“When we drew this line, we knew there would always be someone just on the outside,” Silver said at a press conference after the league's board meeting. “In individual cases, it might feel unfair. Let's see how the season concludes. By the way, Cade Cunningham is an incredible player; I regret his injury and eagerly await his return to the court. But we also need to recognize thatwhen one player loses eligibility, another player gets the opportunity to fill that All-NBA Team spot. So I won't say now that this rule is ineffective; I believe it is effective..”

This rule was negotiated with the players' union and introduced in the 2023 collective bargaining agreement. Its original intent was to address the phenomenon of star players frequently engaging in load management and resting, incentivizing players to participate more. The league also revised its player participation policy to tackle this issue.

Silver stated that since its implementation, the rule has been notably effective, even though several stars have been affected by it in recent years. The rule has also drawn criticism, with arguments that it forces players to play through injuries. Indiana Pacers star Tyrese Haliburton played through a hamstring injury during the 2023-24 season just to maintain his All-NBA Team eligibility, thereby securing a designated rookie max extension contract.

Haliburton ultimately was selected to the All-NBA Third Team that season, while Cunningham this season has little hope, though theoretically not completely eliminated. The collective bargaining agreement includes an exception clause, but Cunningham does not meet the conditions: the exception requires a player to participate in at least 62 games and have a doctor-confirmed injury that will persist beyond June 1.

The NBA Players Association stated that this rule should be abolished or reformed.A union source revealed that the union is drafting revision proposals focusing on load management issues, adding a major injury exemption clause, and hoping to reassess the participation threshold. The plan is to submit the proposal to the league within the coming weeks.

Silver expressed deep sympathy for Cunningham's situation but still believes the 65-game rule has achieved its intended goals.

“The league and the players' union agreed at that time that we must take action on this, ultimately settling on the 65-game rule. Of course, the number could have been 68 or 62; it was a negotiation outcome. But overall, I think it has worked. Together with the player participation policy, discussions about load management have significantly decreased now, partly because teams and players have responded, and fans see them on the court more often.”

“We are also currently addressing issues related to tanking and will work on resolving them. This is part of my job; new problems always emerge. ButI won't declare this rule ineffective simply because one player's case feels unfair..”