Luka Doncic can still be considered for the NBA Most Valuable Player award despite appearing in only 64 regular-season games, after the league and the National Basketball Players Association agreed to grant him and Cade Cunningham an exception to the 65-game eligibility threshold.
The decision, announced on April 16, 2026, follows a joint review under the Collective Bargaining Agreement’s “extraordinary circumstances” provision, which allows players to petition for award eligibility when they fall short of the minimum games played due to specific, verifiable hardships.
Doncic missed two games in December to travel to Slovenia for the birth of his daughter. Cunningham, meanwhile, missed 12 games after suffering a collapsed lung in mid-March, which required hospitalization and a prolonged recovery. Both players appeared in 64 and 63 qualified games respectively, but the NBA and NBPA determined that the totality of their circumstances justified waiving the rule.
“The NBA and NBPA agreed that, taking into account the totality of the circumstances for Cunningham and Dončić, each player qualified for awards,” the league and union said in a joint statement released through official channels.
The ruling means Doncic and Cunningham are now eligible for all end-of-season honors, including MVP, All-NBA teams, and All-Defensive selections. Without this exception, both would have been automatically barred from consideration under the league’s longstanding rule designed to ensure players meet a minimum threshold of participation.
Anthony Edwards of the Minnesota Timberwolves too filed a similar challenge after appearing in 60 qualified games, but his request was denied by an independent arbitrator. Edwards’ appeal did not meet the threshold for extraordinary circumstances under the CBA, leaving him ineligible for individual awards this season.
Doncic’s season with the Los Angeles Lakers has been marked by elite production despite the absences. He averaged 28.4 points, 9.1 rebounds, and 7.8 assists per game before missing the final five games with a hamstring strain. His offensive efficiency and playmaking have kept the Lakers in contention for a high playoff seed in the Western Conference.
Cunningham, playing for the Detroit Pistons, has emerged as one of the league’s most improved guards, averaging 24.3 points, 6.2 rebounds, and 7.5 assists. His leadership through injury adversity has been widely noted by teammates and coaches, even as Detroit fell short of a playoff berth.
The extraordinary circumstances clause has been invoked sparingly in NBA history. Prior to this season, it was most notably used in 2020-21 for players affected by COVID-19 protocols and travel restrictions. The Doncic and Cunningham rulings represent one of the few instances where personal health and family circumstances were collectively accepted as sufficient grounds for relief.
While neither player is considered the favorite to win MVP — a race currently dominated by Nikola Jokić and Shai Gilgeous-Alexander — both remain strong candidates for All-NBA First Team honors. Making the first team would mark Doncic’s sixth such selection in eight seasons, further cementing his status among the league’s elite. For Cunningham, it would be a career-first achievement and a significant milestone in his development.
The NBA regular season concluded on April 13, 2026, with the playoffs beginning April 19. Doncic and the Lakers are set to face the Minnesota Timberwolves in the first round, with Game 1 scheduled for 8:30 p.m. ET at Crypto.com Arena in Los Angeles. Cunningham and the Pistons, having finished 11th in the Eastern Conference, will not participate in the postseason.
As the league moves into the postseason, the award voting process will now include Doncic and Cunningham on official ballots. Voters will weigh their performances against the context of their missed games, a factor that could influence perceptions of value and durability.
For Archysport.com, this developing story underscores the balance between league rules and humanitarian flexibility — a reminder that even in a data-driven era, the NBA retains mechanisms to account for the human elements behind the statistics.
Stay tuned to Archysport.com for updates on the NBA MVP race and All-NBA announcements as the playoffs unfold.
