After all the speculations, it turns out that Luka Doncic and Cade Cunningham will be eligible after all to win major awards like MVP and All-NBA selection. On Thursday, it was reported that the NBA and the NBPA agreed to grant an exemption to the two All-Star guards that would allow them to bypass the 65-game minimum.
Reacting to this news on “NBA Today,” ESPN’s Iman Shumpert expressed his displeasure at the precedent being set for appeals.
“Now it’s an ‘ish’ rule. It is not a rule anymore…It sucks.”
Shumpert went on to name-drop Anthony Edwards, who tried to challenge the 65-game rule with an arbitrator. The Minnesota Timberwolves star had played just 60 games in the regular season, but things did not go as planned: The arbitrator decided to deny Ant-Man’s case.
“I do understand how Luka and Cade were able to get in there still, but now it does leave guys like Anthony Edwards and a string of other guys that feel like this is a little bit unfair,” Shumpert added.
Luka Doncic, Cade Cunningham, and (to a lesser extent) Anthony Edwards have all figured in the MVP conversation this season. As the regular season neared its end, fans started to wonder whether Doncic and Cunningham would even be in the running for the award, given that they came just a little short of meeting the 65-game minimum.
Now, both Doncic and Cunningham can be taken into consideration when voters make their decision on the recipients of MVP and All-NBA honors.
Luka Doncic Releases Statement on Being Granted Exemption to 65-Game Rule
After news broke of Luka Doncic and Cade Cunningham being granted an exemption, the Lakers superstar released a statement, in which he expressed gratitude to the NBA for ruling in his favor.
“I am grateful to the NBPA for advocating on my behalf and to the NBA for their fair decision. It was so important to me to be present for the birth of my daughter in December and I appreciate Mark, Jeanie, Rob, JJ, and the entire Lakers organization for fully supporting me and allowing me to travel to be there,” Doncic wrote in part.
The six-time All-Star added that this season has been “special” because of the accomplishments that he and the Lakers have been able to achieve. However, it remains to be seen whether Doncic (who is still recovering from a Grade 2 hamstring strain) will be able to suit up for the Lakers’ first-round series against the Houston Rockets.
