The Cleveland Cavs have been holding serve in the standings in recent weeks, although their chances of moving up any further than the fourth seed they currently occupy are starting to dwindle. The top seed in the East is held by the Detroit Pistons, who have continued winning despite an injury to star Cade Cunningham, which ignited debate on the 65-game eligibility rule for NBA awards, which Cunningham might now miss out on.
Recently, Cavs star Donovan Mitchell spoke about his thoughts on the rule.
“It’s for the right reasons, but it’s tough,” said Mitchell, per Chris Fedor of Cleveland.com. “We get paid money to be out there, but there’s certain things you can’t control. It’s not like guys are resting and missing these games. These are legitimate injuries, so it’s something to look at for sure because there’s no way certain guys should be in this scenario.”
He also acknowledged that “I missed out on it two years ago, so I’m biased to say there shouldn’t be [a rule].”
The 65-game rule was originally implemented as a method of curbing the load management trend that had started to plague the league in recent years.
While it’s true that availability is the best ability, many fans have taken issue with the fact that a freak collapsed lung situation could derail Cunningham’s chances of award eligibility after what had been a near MVP-level season for the star.
“I think there’s something of a discussion, finding a way to balance it. Not my job. I don’t know what the rule should be. I don’t have the answer. But it’s tough. There are legitimate injuries out there,” added Mitchell.
Meanwhile, the Cavs will next hit the floor on Tuesday evening for a home game against the Orlando Magic.