Cade Cunningham’s agent, Jeff Schwartz of Excel Sports, told ESPN that the Detroit Pistons star has delivered a first-team All-NBA caliber season and should not be disqualified from postseason honors due to the league's games-played thresholds.
Schwartz voiced concerns regarding the mandatory 65-game requirement for award eligibility, stating that if Cunningham falls "just short of an arbitrary games-played threshold due to legitimate injury," it should not disqualify him from the recognition he has earned. The agent emphasized that the guard's performance on the court has already established him as one of the league's top performers this season, according to ESPN.
The NBA's current Collective Bargaining Agreement (CBA) mandates that players must appear in at least 65 games to be eligible for major postseason awards, including the All-NBA teams. This rule was implemented to encourage player participation, but it has become a point of contention for players dealing with significant injuries. Cunningham, who serves as the focal point of the Detroit Pistons offense, faces the possibility of missing the cutoff depending on his availability for the remainder of the season.
This is a developing story. Check back for updates.
Sources & Original Reporting
