NBA awards eligibility tracker: Joel Embiid, Kevin Durant among stars at risk of missing 65-game threshold

NBA awards eligibility tracker: Joel Embiid, Kevin Durant among stars at risk of missing 65-game threshold

Ahead of the 2023-24 season, the NBA introduced a new player participation policy aimed at reducing load management and “reinforcing that we’re an 82-game league,” commissioner Adam Silver said. “If you’re a healthy player in this league, the expectation is that you’re going to play.”

Perhaps the most notable aspect of the new rules is that in order for players to be eligible for major awards, they have to appear in at least 65 games. For a game to count, a player must have registered at least 20 minutes. Said honors include:

• MVP
• Defensive Player of the Year
• Most Improved Player
• All-NBA team
• All-Defensive team

As the season approaches the mid-way point, here’s a look at which stars are either in the danger zone or already eliminated from contention for missing too many games.

Kevin Durant, Suns: Missed 7/17 games

The veteran forward has been the healthiest member of the Suns’ “Big Three,” and that’s saying something considering he’s missed seven games himself. He’s in the middle of another spectacular scoring campaign, but a few minor injuries here and there have kept him out of seven games so far. Given his health concerns in recent seasons — he hasn’t played 65 games since 2019, prior to his Achilles tendon tear — you have to wonder if he can hold up in the second half.

Joel Embiid, Sixers: Missed 8/17 games

Injuries are always a concern for the reigning MVP, who has never played in more than 68 games in a season. After a dominant start to the 2023-24 campaign, Embiid is once again an the MVP favorite, but a series of lower-body issues in recent weeks have raised concerns about his ability to get to 65 games. He’s missed eight of the Sixers’ 35 games so far, which puts him on a 63-game pace and removes much of his margin for error. Embiid can only miss nine more games the rest of the way.

Devin Booker, Suns: Missed 9/17 games

Booker got off to a slow start this season, missing eight of the Suns’ first 10 games due to an array of leg injuries; he hurt his foot, ankle and calf in the span of a few weeks. Since then, he’s been back at an elite level — he’s averaging a career-high in assists — and has missed just one game. However, because of all the absences early, he can only miss eight more games if he wants to stay in the All-NBA conversation.

Donovan Mitchell, Cavaliers: Missed 9/17 games

Mitchell made his first All-NBA appearance last season, earning a Second Team spot for helping the Cavaliers make the playoffs for the first time this century without LeBron James. He’ll need to stay healthy in the second half of the season if he wants to stay in that conversation, though. A hamstring injury and an illness that left him in bed for four days have kept him out of nine games already.

Kristaps Porzingis, Celtics: Missed 9/17 games

The Celtics are once again an elite defensive team, thanks in large part to the Latvian big man, who arrived in a blockbuster trade during the summer. It seems unlikely that he will have a chance to get into the All-Defensive conversations, however, as he’s already missed nine games and has a lengthy injury history. Already the team has held him out of one half of a back-to-back three times, and all signs point to them continuing to be cautious with his health down the stretch.

Bam Adebayo, Heat: Missed 10/17 games

The Heat have been severely banged up this season, with star center Bam Adebayo near the top of the list in missed games. A hip injury kept him out for over two weeks at the start of December, and all told, he’s already missed 10 games. While his impact on the defensive end is undeniable, his hopes of making a fifth consecutive All-Defensive team will rest on his ability to stay on the court in the second half of the season.

Jimmy Butler, Heat: Missed 12/17 games

For someone who claims that he doesn’t start “playing for real” until after the All-Star break, Butler has made an All-NBA team five times, including three of the last four seasons. His odds of making the cut this time around are starting to look slim, though as he’s already missed 11 games due to a foot injury, and it’s unclear when he’ll be back on the floor. He’ll miss a 12th game on Monday when the Heat face the Rockets. To that point, it’s worth noting that Butler has only played 65 games four times in his career.

Kyrie Irving, Mavericks: Missed 16/17 games

Irving has played well for the Mavericks, though with the elite young guards in the league nowadays he was always facing an uphill battle to make the All-NBA cut. In any case, he likely won’t be eligible come the end of the season. A fluke foot injury kept him out for nearly all of December and he’s already nearly at the limit for missed games. Given his health history, he’ll almost certainly miss a few more between now and April.

Bradley Beal, Suns: Ineligible

Beal’s first season in the desert has been stop and start due to various injuries. A back problem that began in training camp prevented him from making his debut until November, then almost immediately forced him back to the sideline for another three weeks. Upon his return from that issue, he sprained his ankle and was ruled out a further two weeks. All told, he’s already missed 24 games, which means he cannot reach the 65-game threshold to be considered for a year-end honor.

LaMelo Ball, Hornets: Ineligible

The youngest Ball brother was off to an incredible start this season before suffering yet another ankle injury in late November. He has not played since then, and there remains no timetable for his return. As it relates to potential award consideration, it doesn’t matter when Ball returns at this point, as he’s already missed too many games to be considered.

Ja Morant, Grizzlies: Ineligible

Morant, of course, was suspended for the first 25 games of the season for multiple instances of brandishing a firearm on social media, which made him ineligible for postseason awards before play even began. Injuries and off-court matters kept him off ballots last season as well, so this will be two consecutive seasons without any honors for the 2022 Most Improved Player and All-NBA Second Team honoree.

CBS Sports will continue to update this story throughout the remainder of the season