Editor\u2019s note: An earlier version of this story incorrectly reported that the NBA\u2019s stars have missed 74 percent of their teams\u2019 games this season. They have played in 65 percent of the games, missing 35 percent. The story has been corrected. Also, additional context was added to explain that many of those games were missed by players out for the year.<\/p>\n
Two years after the NBA\u2019s latest collective bargaining agreement reshaped the salary-cap system \u2014 limiting how much teams can spend on non-superstars \u2014 the deal is drawing criticism from stars.<\/p>\n
This time, their frustration centers on another provision of the agreement: the 65-game requirement for end-of-season awards, a threshold many stars are in danger of missing amid a surge of early-season injuries.<\/p>\n
Players, including Tyrese Haliburton, dislike the rule; the Indiana Pacers star called the<\/a> threshold \u201cstupid\u201d after a practice in January 2024. A person familiar with the National Basketball Players Association\u2019s (NBPA) plans says it will push to reduce the threshold in the next CBA, which will come after the 2029-30 season.<\/p>\n NBA stars, defined by the league as players who made an All-Star Game or an All-NBA team in the previous three seasons, had played in 583 of a possible 900 games\u00a0this season\u00a0(65 percent)\u00a0entering play Monday, though that figure includes four players with long-term injuries who have not played and would not have been considered for awards regardless of the 65-game threshold.<\/p>\n Just more than a month into the regular season, stars such as Giannis Antetokounmpo, Victor Wembanyama, LeBron James, Anthony Davis, Anthony Edwards, Darius Garland, Ja Morant, Jalen Williams and Zion Williamson have missed significant time. Meanwhile, Haliburton, Jayson Tatum, Kyrie Irving and Damian Lillard have yet to suit up this season because of injury.<\/p>\n \u201cI would bet this year, it\u2019s probably a combination of a little bit of a fluke, but also teams just being more cautious with their stars,\u201d said Dr. Brian Schulz, an orthopedic surgeon who works with the Anaheim Ducks of the NHL.<\/p>\n The spate of injuries not only harms the league\u2019s product on the court but also undermines the legitimacy of its awards. To qualify for the NBA\u2019s end-of-season honors, a player must appear in at least 65 regular-season games. Missing more than 17 games renders a player ineligible for Most Valuable Player, All-NBA Teams, Most Improved Player, Defensive Player of the Year and All-Defensive Team selections.<\/p>\n Antetokounmpo, Wembanyama, James and others are in danger of missing the threshold.<\/p>\n James, a 23-year veteran who has missed 15 games, is at risk of being left off the All-NBA Team for the first time since his rookie season. At 40, part of that could be attributed to his age, but there\u2019s also a possibility that 21-year-old Wembanyama misses out on the All-Defensive Team despite leading the league in blocks per game by more than one. With Wembanyama on the court, the Spurs\u2019 defensive rating improves from 117.2 to 105.5 when he\u2019s off.<\/p>\n The NBA introduced the threshold in 2023 to boost competitiveness during the regular season. During CBA negotiations, the league advocated for the threshold, while the NBPA was hesitant, according to a source briefed on the matter. The two sides agreed as the NBPA conceded the clause.<\/p>\n