Starting next year, players will have to play 65 games to make an All-NBA team. That would have eliminated a third of this year’s teams.
Jimmy Butler played in 64 games; Giannis Antetokounmpo in 63, Damian Lillard in 58, Steph Curry in 56 and LeBron James in 55. None of them would have been eligible for an All-NBA team under the new guidelines.
Last year, there were four All-NBA players who took the court for fewer than 65 games—Curry, James, Ja Morant and Kevin Durant. The guidelines also extend to other NBA awards, which would have eliminated Defensive Player of the Year Jaren Jackson Jr. this season, since he only appeared in 63 games.
Warriors’ Draymond Green warned in April that the new playing-time rules will lead to “bums” making All-NBA teams.
The idea behind the new guidelines is to cut down on “load management” for star players. But Curry missed 22 games with injuries to his leg and shoulder. LeBron has had an injured foot all season. The consequence of the guidelines may well be that otherwise worthy players are kept off the team.
The voters thought 63 games of Antetokounmpo were worthy of first-team status. Clearly, playing time is already a consideration, as seen in Devin Booker and his 53 games played being snubbed.
This wouldn’t be as much of an issue if All-NBA selections didn’t determine the value of contract extensions. Morant has only himself to blame for missing games this season, but the $38 million he lost by not making an All-NBA team led to filing a lawsuit against a teenager for defamation.
Maybe the new rules will work and we’ll see less load management next year. Or Green will be right, and we’ll see an All-NBA team full of “bums.”
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