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The NBA’s 65-game rule may be the deciding factor in the 2026 MVP race and Detroit Pistons star Cade Cunningham may be the best positioned candidate to win the award.
The NBA’s 65-game minimum rule was designed to protect the integrity of major awards. Now, it may decide the MVP race. Under league guidelines, players must appear in at least 65 games to qualify for end-of-season honors, including MVP and All-NBA. With roughly a quarter of the season remaining, several frontrunners are walking a tightrope. Meanwhile, Detroit Pistons star point guard Cade Cunningham is not.
Cunningham has played in 49 of Detroit’s 55 games. That gives him an 11-game cushion before eligibility becomes a concern. According to projections from Tom Haberstroh, he is on pace to finish with 73 games. In an award race that now heavily rewards durability, that matters more than ever.
Cunningham’s Numbers Match Detroit’s Rise
Availability alone does not win MVP awards. However, Cunningham’s production fully supports the narrative.
He is averaging 25.7 points, 9.7 assists, and 5.7 rebounds while shooting 46.3 percent from the field. More importantly, he has powered the Detroit Pistons to a 42-13 record, percentage points ahead of the Oklahoma City Thunder for the best mark in the league.
Before the season, Detroit’s over/under sat at 46.5 wins. Now, they are on pace for 62. Certainly, head coach J.B. Bickerstaff deserves credit. Jalen Duren’s growth and Isaiah Stewart’s interior presence have also strengthened the roster. Even so, the Pistons do not resemble a typical 60-win superteam on paper. Therefore, Cunningham deserves the lion’s share of the credit.
He reinforced that case after a 42-point, 13-assist, eight-rebound performance in a 126-111 win over the New York Knicks.
Speaking to ESPN’s Vincent Goodwill, Cunningham made his stance clear.
“I think I am [MVP],” Cunningham said. “And if you don’t agree with me, that’s your opinion.”
That statement was not a one-night reaction. Instead, it reflected a season-long résumé.
Bickerstaff quickly framed the bigger picture.
“I don’t think you pick an MVP based off, you know, just one game or one statement,” Bickerstaff said. “He’s been this way for the entire season. He’s dominated both ends of the floor and impacted winning in a major way.”
In other words, this is sustained excellence tied directly to team success.
Pistons DNA and Public Campaign Support
As Detroit continues to separate itself in the standings, respected voices around the league have started to campaign publicly.
In a recent discussion with The Athletic, leader of the “Bad Boys” and Detroit legend Isiah Thomas shared what he sees in this 2026 squad and the historical parallels between this team and his championship winning teams from the early 90s.
“They’re the one team in the NBA right now that is really playing a totally different brand of basketball than everyone else. They have gone back to what I would say the old Pistons DNA has been, defense, rebounding, shot blocking and taking good shots.
“It’s a formula that goes totally against the grain of the NBA, and it’s just like we did it in the 1980s and ’90s. When Cade sees Stewart and Duren open in the post, he actually throws them the ball. They try to score two points rather than always shooting 3s. The way I was taught the game, you want to put at least one point on the board every time down the court, and the Pistons play that way. That’s why the entire city of Detroit appreciates this team.”
Thomas’ endorsement strengthens Cunningham’s narrative. What started as a surprise run has now turned into a sustainable formula built on defense and discipline.
The 65-Game Rule Tightens the Race for Others
While Cunningham holds a cushion, several superstars face far less margin for error.
Shai Gilgeous-Alexander has played 49 of 60 games. He can miss only six more. However, an abdominal injury has already sidelined him multiple times, and timing now becomes critical.
Similarly, Luka Doncic projects to fall short of the threshold at his current pace. Meanwhile, Victor Wembanyama and Nikola Jokic also operate with razor-thin flexibility.
Therefore, availability is no longer a side note in this race. It is a deciding factor. Cunningham combines elite production, top-tier team success, and strong durability. As a result, his candidacy grows stronger each week the others flirt with ineligibility.
The Stretch Run Could Seal MVP Case
Detroit now enters a brutal stretch featuring the San Antonio Spurs, Cleveland Cavaliers, and Thunder. Over six games in ten days, the Pistons will face legitimate contenders.
If Cunningham sustains this level through that gauntlet, the narrative will shift from “emerging candidate” to clear frontrunner. Ultimately, the 65-game rule was meant to reward players who show up. Right now, Cade Cunningham is not only showing up, he is leading the best team in basketball.
Jalon Dixon Jalon Dixon is a multi-platform sports journalist and content creator specializing in NBA and WNBA coverage. He blends writing, podcasting, and video analysis to deliver accessible, in-depth perspectives on basketball and beyond. More about Jalon Dixon