The NBA’s 65-game rule for end-of-season awards and honors has been a big talking point lately, with some of the biggest names in the league failing to meet the requirement. That led to Kendrick Perkins being asked on First Take whether the rule devalues the awards, and he responded with quite an interesting claim.
“This rule was not put in place because of the awards,” Perkins said. “This rule was put in place for the fans, for justice for the fans. People who pay their hard-earned money to come and watch players play, and all of a sudden they show up, and these players are sitting out games because let me take y’all behind the scenes of what happens before the season start.
“Before the season starting, especially with some of these franchise players around the league, they get with their organization, they look at the schedule throughout the course of the whole season, and they actually were planning games that they were going to miss and sit out,” Perkins continued. “Whether it was back-to-backs or whatever the case may be. This rule is a rule that holds guys accountable.
“Because players and organizations were starting to disrespect the greats that came before them,” Perkins added. “Guys that paved the way like [Michael] Jordan, Magic [Johnson], [Larry] Bird, Kobe Bryant, Tim Duncan, Kevin Garnett, the list goes on, that took pride in playing games every single night.”
The league office certainly wouldn’t be all too happy if this were true. NBA commissioner Adam Silver has made it pretty clear he isn’t a fan of load management, and this would perhaps be a level beyond that.
Not every big name falls into this category, though, at least if we go by what one very notable individual said. Golden State Warriors superstar Stephen Curry attempted to clear the misconception surrounding load management back in 2023.
“I usually campaign to play every game,” Curry said, via Anthony Slater. That’s the misconception about load management. It’s never the player that’s usually saying, ‘Hey, I want to sit.’ So, for all those people that are worried about that part of our league and all that, it’s usually not the players going to the training staff and saying, ‘Hey, I don’t have it tonight.’ It’s usually the other way around, and there’s a lot of science involved.”
The medical staff has a big say. They monitor the players, and if someone is in that “red zone,” they’re going to let the coaches know that sitting the individual would be ideal.
Are there superstars who dictate when they play or not? Probably, but it doesn’t seem like the majority is in that boat. Ultimately, though, it’s Perkins who played in the NBA, and he’d know better about what happens behind the scenes than most.
As for the 65-game rule, the NBPA called for it to be amended or even abolished after Detroit Pistons star Cade Cunningham was diagnosed with a collapsed lung. Cunningham had played in 61 games before the diagnosis and is now ineligible for awards. He is one of 12 NBA stars who will have nothing to show for this season unless they go on and win the championship.
Despite many big names missing out, Silver has shut down criticism of this 65-game rule. He has dismissed the notion that it isn’t working as intended.
