NBA and NBPA Discuss Potential New Rule for Postseason Honors Eligibility

To be eligible for postseason honors, NBA players may have to participate in several games per season.

According to Shams Charania of The Athletic and Stadium, a rule is being negotiated between the NBA and the National Basketball Players Association that would mandate players appear in a minimum number of games to be eligible for awards.

Last month, Mike Vorkunov of The Athletic reported that the two teams discussed this rule change in CBA talks.

The NBA wants to ensure that superstars are well-rested throughout the season so that it may implement a minimum number of games played requirement for award consideration.

During his press conference at All-Star weekend in February, NBA commissioner Adam Silver talked about the importance of effective time management:

“I don’t believe it’s right that people are encouraged to play through injuries, as was common in the past. These are people, many of whom you talk to and know well. They often play through a lot of pain, and they often play through all kinds of aches and pains. I disagree that these men, specifically NBA players, should be more visible in public.”

Suppose this rule is included in the new collective bargaining agreement. In that case, it will significantly impact players due to the financial incentives for award voting and making the All-NBA team in contracts.

While the league and the union support this idea in principle, Charania pointed out that they have yet to agree upon a set minimum schedule.

According to NBA.com, a player must play in at least 58 of an NBA team’s 82 regular season games to be eligible for statistical leaderboard consideration in most categories.

An opt-out deadline of December 15 was included in the current collective bargaining agreement between the NBA and NBPA. Both parties extended the original deadline of February 28 several times, and the current opt-out date of March 31 is the latest.

If either party exercises its right to terminate the current CBA on or before June 30, the agreement will automatically terminate. Neither party has shown any signs of being concerned about a possible lockout.

Final Thoughts

The National Basketball Association and the National Basketball Players Association are currently negotiating a new rule requiring players to appear in a certain number of games to be eligible for awards. NBA Updates: The league wants to ensure players are well-rested while acknowledging the importance of effective time management.

However, the league and the union have yet to agree upon a set minimum schedule. If either party exercises its right to terminate the current CBA on or before June 30, the agreement will automatically terminate. It remains to be seen how this potential rule change will be implemented and how it will affect players and the league.