In a season in which he's driven the Pistons to the top of the East, Cade Cunningham deserves consideration for first-team All-NBA. He even belongs on the fringes of the MVP conversation. He won't be up for either.
Thanks to an NBA technicality introduced in the 2023-24 season, Cunningham isn't eligible for any major end-of-season awards because he will not meet the required 65-game threshold after missing three weeks due to a collapsed lung. Cunningham, who returned to action Wednesday night, will finish with a maximum of 64 games played.
The rule was put in place to curb load management and keep the league's best players on the floor. But it has the drawback of penalizing players like Cunningham for circumstances out of their control. Asked after his return if the NBA should change the rule, Cunningham said, "That's a good question."
"I feel a lot of different ways about it," he said. "What they were trying to do with it is to have superstars play and not sit out just to rest, because fans pay a lot of money to come watch us play games. I have a lot of respect for that. I know the fans come to watch me play and I want to make sure that I’m available and I give them a show whenever they come out. So in that way, I respect the rule. I think it’s a good rule in that way.
"It’s tough for me right now this year because I think I’ve done a lot of work to be in consideration for awards, All-NBA and all that stuff, so I’m in a tough spot. But I think it will all play out how it's supposed to play out."
Cade Cunningham on NBA’s 65-game rule that will disqualify him from end-of-season awards after losing 3 weeks to collapsed lung. He’s on track to play in 64.
Respects the spirit of it “because fans pay a lot of money to come watch us play games,” but hoping for an exception: pic.twitter.com/INHyMP24f0
— 97.1 The Ticket: (@971theticketxyt) April 9, 2026
Cunningham, who ranks second in the NBA in assists (9.9) and 14th in points per game (24.6), is hoping to be granted an exception from the rule. But he's more focused on what lies ahead for the Pistons, as they prepare to make a run in the NBA playoffs.
"I'm just trying to do my best to help my team win," he said. "I’m hearing all this stuff about exceptions and all this other stuff, I don’t know how all that stuff works. I’ll just keep doing my job day by day and whatever comes will come, whatever’s meant to be will be."
