All-NBA bubble: Who's ineligible, on the fence for season-long awards
LeBron James' record-setting streak of 21 straight All-NBA appearances officially came to an end after he sat out his 18th game of the season Tuesday against the Spurs.
The league requires players to play at least 65 games to be eligible for season-long awards or All-NBA selection. While the rule was originally intended to discourage load management, it's had some seemingly unintended consequences since being implemented ahead of the 2023-24 season.
James' run isn't the only one ending. Giannis Antetokounmpo has made nine straight All-NBA teams, the second-longest active streak, but that's over, as he's already missed 22 games.
Other marquee players might also miss out on these honors because of the games requirement.
How many more games can these stars miss and stay eligible?
| Player | # of games |
|---|---|
| Nikola Jokic | 1 |
| Steph Curry | 1 |
| Victor Wembanyama | 3 |
| Kawhi Leonard | 4 |
| Luka Doncic | 6 |
| Shai Gilgeous-Alexander | 11 |
Nikola Jokic, Luka Doncic, Victor Wembanyama, and Shai Gilgeous-Alexander would be virtual locks for the All-NBA first team if this rule didn't exist.
Jokic, who has been remarkably durable throughout his career, has made seven straight All-NBA teams, but a knee injury kept him out for 16 games this season. He can't miss more than one game in his chase for eight consecutive appearances, which would become the longest active streak. He'll also become ineligible for MVP voting if he misses two more contests.
Doncic made five straight All-NBA first teams before playing 50 games last season. He's missed the last three games with a hamstring injury but should return following the All-Star break. Doncic can't suffer another serious injury, both for the Lakers' sake and his All-NBA prospects.
Wembanyama has never won Defensive Player of the Year despite his undisputed claim as the league's best defender. He's the current favorite to win the award at -300 on theScore Bet but won't be eligible if he misses four more games. The French sensation has dealt with various injuries throughout his career, and the Spurs dialed back his minutes following a month-long absence. He averaged 35 minutes per game in November before his injury and averaged 27 per game in January. If he gets hurt again, Chet Holmgren, who currently has the second-best odds behind Wembanyama at +300, would likely win Defensive Player of the Year.
Gilgeous-Alexander has more leeway than his fellow contenders and is headed toward his second straight MVP as long as he doesn't miss 12 games. However, he's sat out the last four games with an abdominal strain, and his absence could extend beyond the All-Star break.
Before the season, the first fully international All-NBA team was a real possibility thanks to Antetokounmpo, Jokic, Doncic, Gilgeous-Alexander, and Wembanyama. But that ship has sailed now that Antetokounmpo can't make it.
If the typical superstars are ineligible, who will take their places? Cade Cunningham, who's been the best player on the East-leading Pistons, has the third-best odds to win MVP and is on track for first-team All-NBA. He'd become the first Piston to earn a first-team selection since Grant Hill in 1996-97.
MVP odds
| Player | Odds |
|---|---|
| Shai Gilgeous-Alexander | -200 |
| Nikola Jokic | +275 |
| Cade Cunningham | +1500 |
| Luka Doncic | +1800 |
| Jaylen Brown | +3300 |
| Anthony Edwards | +15000 |
| Tyrese Maxey | +15000 |
Jaylen Brown, Anthony Edwards, Donovan Mitchell, Jalen Brunson, Tyrese Maxey, and Kevin Durant should all be in contention for All-NBA. A collection of those players - who should be eligible, barring any major injuries after the All-Star break - will make up the second and third teams.
Another future Hall of Famer's All-NBA streak is poised to end. Steph Curry made the last five All-NBA teams and 11 of the last 12. However, he's already missed 16 games, including the last five with a lingering knee injury. Missing two more games will rule him out for the honor.
Kawhi Leonard has made six All-NBA teams, but he only reached the 65-game mark in three of those seasons. (He also earned one of his second-team selections in the shortened 2019-20 campaign.) Leonard's resume would look much different if this requirement had been enacted earlier. Notably, he was an early adopter of load management. This season, Leonard's playing at an All-NBA level, but he can only miss four more games and still earn his seventh All-NBA nod.
Although the league needed to address load management, the pendulum has arguably swung too far the other way. The 65-game benchmark might be too high. All-NBA is supposed to be a significant career achievement, and the selections should provide a snapshot of the players who defined the regular season. What's the point of building All-NBA teams if they don't feature Jokic, Doncic, Wembanyama, and other worthy superstars?
Sam Oshtry is a sports writer at theScore. You can follow him on X @soshtry for more basketball coverage.
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