Luka and Cade Won Their Appeals: Now They're Eligible for Everything

The NBA and NBPA made a huge call on Thursday, and it changes the awards picture for two of the league's biggest names. Luka Doncic and Cade Cunningham both won their appeals challenging the league's 65-game eligibility rule, meaning they're back in the conversation for MVP, All-NBA teams, and every other end-of-season award.

Here's the thing: both guys came up just short of the magic number. Doncic finished with 64 games after missing two in December when his child was born abroad. Cunningham played in 63 games, sidelined for 12 contests because of a collapsed lung. The league and union looked at the full picture and decided these weren't typical absences. "The NBA and NBPA agreed that, taking into account the totality of the circumstances for Cunningham and Dončić, each player qualified for awards," they said in a statement.

Not Everyone Gets the Same Mercy

Minnesota's Anthony Edwards wasn't as lucky. He filed a similar challenge after appearing in 60 games, but his case went to an independent arbitrator who denied it. Edwards is now officially ineligible for awards despite putting together a solid season.

The eligibility drama has been a constant conversation all year. San Antonio's Victor Wembanyama, who's firmly in the MVP conversation and looks like a lock for Defensive Player of the Year, hit the 65-game threshold in the Spurs' second to last game. Denver's Nikola Jokic, a three-time MVP who's been first or second in MVP voting each of the last five seasons and won the rebounding and assist titles this year, just barely qualified on the final day of the regular season.

A Rule That's Got Everyone Talking

Nuggets coach David Adelman isn't mincing words about this. He said last week that he hopes the 65-game rule gets changed this summer. His point is simple: if a guy like Jokic can play 64 games, never wanting to come out, and still miss out on awards, something's broken. "That's not the spirit of what that rule is," Adelman said.

The bottom line? The rule has knocked a bunch of All-Stars out of contention for major individual awards this season. With Doncic and Cunningham now back in the mix, the MVP conversation is about to get even more interesting down the stretch.

This article was created with AI assistance and reviewed by Seattle On Tap editorial staff. Always verify information with official team sources.