Cade Cunningham has suffered a collapsed lung after he went out of the Pistons’ last matchup with the Washington Wizards. He went out of the game after playing just five minutes following his full-body attempt to grab a loose ball and was sidelined due to back spasms. However, ESPN analyst Shams Charania later shared that Cunningham might be out for a long time after being diagnosed with a collapsed lung.
Cunningham has played 60 games in the regular season thus far and was just about to hit the 65-game mark, the minimum eligibility for NBA awards. However, the injury can now keep him out for an indefinite time, and he might lose out on winning the MVP and All-NBA honors due to the 65-game rule.
This has given rise to criticism from fans and the NBA world of the league’s 65-game rule. Sports commentator Bobby Marks wrote on X:
“Cunningham has 60 qualified games played and is currently short of the All-NBA criteria.
The Pistons have 14 games remaining.”
Fans were also not happy to see the Pistons guard getting deprived of awards just because of the 65-game rule. A user wrote on X:
“i have not spoken on the 65 game rule because i’m ultimately not super passionate about it, but this cade situation is the first thing that’s really pushed me over the edge. he’s had an all-NBA season and absolutely shouldn’t be penalized for a collapsed lung with 14 games left.”
One user on Threads gave a good suggestion to the NBA to try to solve the real problem with the NBA awards and wrote:
“Scrap the 65 game rule please and just figure out a way to eliminate back to backs.”
View on Threads
The new 65-game rule was introduced in the 2023-24 season and has been under scrutiny since then. Many have questioned its requirement, as several stars need to balance their workload to stay healthy for crucial moments.
Chandler Parsons stands behind Cade Cunningham’s turnaround season amid talks on 65-game rule
Analyst and former NBA player Chandler Parsons shared his views on Cade Cunningham’s injury and the danger of him slipping in the NBA awards. He believed that the Pistons guard deserved to be part of the First Team All-NBA. He said:
“Cade Cunningham should be 1st Team All-NBA and I don’t care if that’s 61, 71, or 51 games.”
Cunningham got an All-NBA Third Team selection in the 2023-24 season. He is a two-time NBA All-Star and was named a starter from the East this season. He is averaging 24.5 points and 9.9 assists and leads the franchise in both categories this season.
READ MORE: What Is Collapsed Lung? Cade Cunningham’s Diagnosis Explained
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