NBPA Calls for Change to 65-Game Rule After Cade Cunningham Injury

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The NBPA is calling for the 65-game eligibility rule to be ‘abolished or reformed’ after the injury to Detroit Pistons superstar Cade Cunningham.

The NBA is taking the necessary steps to change the 65-game eligibility requirement for players to be considered for end-of-season awards. The NBPA introduced the conversation after the recent injury to Detroit Pistons superstar Cade Cunningham.

Doctors diagnosed Cunningham with a left lung pneumothorax (collapsed lung), which occurred in the Pistons’ win over the Washington Wizards on March 17. The team initially reported the NBA MVP candidate’s injury as back spasms after colliding with the Wizards’ Tre Johnson. He would leave mid-way through the first quarter of the contest.

Following the manner, the Pistons said Cade Cunningham would miss “at least two weeks” with the setback. Detroit is optimistic about whether or not Cunningham will be ready to suit up for the Pistons in the NBA Playoffs that start on April 18.

NBPA Calls for 65-game Rule to be ‘Abolished or Reformed’

If Cade Cunningham is unable to return before the start of the playoffs, this would put his games played count to 61. This number wouldn’t be enough to qualify for the end-of-season awards he’s expected to receive for 2025-26.

The current rule requires NBA players to play in at least 65 games during the regular season in order to qualify for these awards. The league introduced the rule before the start of the 2023-24 season, and it has been a controversial topic since.

On Tuesday, following the recent news on Cunningham’s status, the NBPA (National Basketball Players Association) made a statement on his award status, Tim Reynolds of The Associated Press reported:

“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.”

Voters elected Cade Cunningham to the All-NBA Third Team in 2025. Following another impressive season for the Detroit Pistons this season, he was in line for another All-NBA selection while also being in the running for the NBA MVP Award this season.

Cade Cunningham’s Impressive 2025-26 Season

Before suffering the setback, Cade Cunningham was leading the Detroit Pistons to one of the most successful regular seasons in franchise history.

With just 11 games remaining in the regular season for Detroit, the Pistons are the current No. 1 seed in the Eastern Conference with a 52-19 record. Detroit also holds the third-best record in the NBA, behind the Oklahoma City Thunder (57-15) and the San Antonio Spurs (54-18).

The Boston Celtics (47-24) are five games behind the Detroit Pistons for the No. 1 seed in the East.

Cade Cunningham is the lead man in Detroit since getting selected with the No. 1 overall pick in the 2021 NBA Draft. He’s continued to improve each year, and has done just that in 2025-26. Through 61 total games, Cunningham is averaging 24.5 points, 9.9 assists, and 5.6 rebounds a game while shooting 46.1% from the field and 34.6% from three.

The Pistons superstar has made a rule-changing impact on the league, and the NBPA is making the necessary steps to make these changes happen after Cunningham’s unfortunate late-season setback.

Toran Flores is a sports reporter located in Cheyenne, Wyoming. He’s covered news in the NFL, NBA, MLB, WNBA, and college sports. His work has been featured on platforms like FanSided, Athlon Sports, The Sporting News, Lakers All Day Everyday, and others.

In his free time, Toran enjoys spending time with family and friends, staying active, and traveling. More about Toran Flores