Overview
- The NBA’s latest CBA requires players to appear in at least 65 regular-season games to qualify for most postseason honors, including MVP and All-NBA.
- Nikola Jokic is described as very likely to fall short while rehabbing a knee injury expected to sideline him for about a month.
- Luka Dončić has missed seven games, Giannis Antetokounmpo and Victor Wembanyama have missed 14 each, Anthony Edwards eight, and Stephen Curry 10, putting their eligibility at risk near midseason.
- Players who do not meet the threshold can file an Extraordinary Circumstances Challenge, though it is a limited pathway to regain eligibility.
- Award outcomes carry financial stakes such as super max qualification, reflecting ongoing tension between deterring strategic rest and preserving the in-arena product for fans.