Sixty-five. Since this season, this is the minimum number of matches imposed by the NBA to be eligible for trophies and end-of-year distinctions. And the NBA even set a playing time limit of 20 minutes for 63 of 65 games. This represents 80% of regular season games, and any player who misses more than 17 games is automatically excluded from the Most Valuable Player, Most Improved Player, Defensive Player of the Year and All-NBA Teams awards.
These distinctions are not only honorary since they also allow you to win bigger contracts when you are a “free agent”, or bonuses if clauses of the current contract are linked to trophies or selections in an All- NBATeam. ESPN recalls that Jamal Murray (14 missed matches), Bam Adebayo (10 matches) and De'Aaron Fox (6 games) are eligible for a “maximum” contract extension in July if they are selected to an All-NBA Team.
A difference of 93 million dollars for some players!
Same situation for Tyrese Haliburton who has already missed 7 games this season. For the Pacers leader, a selection to an All-NBA Team could earn him an additional $41 million upon signing his next contract!
For Bam Adebayo and De'Aron Fox, an All-NBA Team selection would qualify them for a four-year, $245 million extension. If they do not get a selection, they will only be able to receive, at most, $152 million over three years. That’s a $93 million difference!
“Frankly, on a personal level, it doesn't affect what I think about basketball. I like playing basketball. I love this sport, and I will continue to play no matter what.” reacts Bam Adebayo. “I find it crazy that we end up having this rule when I have the impression that everyone loves basketball as much as I do. In the end, when a player wants to win trophies, he plays.”
What if the teams don't play the game?
What we also learn is that players can challenge the NBA rules! Once a player has missed 18 matches, and therefore becomes ineligible for end-of-year trophies, he can plead his case to the league. In which case ? When he believes that it is his coach or his team who decided to make him miss matches, or to limit his playing time. A decision which will thus allow a team to make very big savings on its next contract.
A hearing will then follow with the player, his team, the NBA and the players' union. Let's hope it doesn't come to that, but the NBA knows that certain leaders are still on the lookout to take advantage of a new regulation. The league does not rule out a GM pushing for a player to be rested or spared, and therefore become ineligible for an extension at the “maximum”. Which, in the end, seems risky since it is hard to imagine a player continuing in a team that wanted to save money on his back.
