Utah Jazz's Will Hardy Shares Honest Take on NBA 65-Game Rule

One of the biggest talking points around the NBA in recent weeks has been the league's newly implemented 65-game rule to be eligible for end-of-season awards via the NBA Player Participation Policy.

No matter which player it may be, having under 65 games played in the regular season effectively disqualifies you from any sort of awards at the end of the year, whether it be MVP, All-NBA honors, or anything in between; ultimately designed to encourage player participation in the regular season.

However, this season has since showcased some flaws with that system due to several top players potentially being ineligible for those honors due to real, extended injury absences. Guys like Nikola Jokic and Shai Gilgeous-Alexander are right on the cusp of losing their chance to get their own nods for that very reason, and has gained criticism from fans and those in the league because of it.

When asking Utah Jazz head coach Will Hardy on the matter, his takeaway was clear on what his thoughts were: while well-intentioned, the rule will likely have to be evaluated at some point this offseason. But as it pertains to him, he has much more on his plate to worry about.

"It would appear that it's going to have to be examined," Hardy said of the 65-game rule. " I think the intent of the rule was correct. But there's always gonna be extenuating circumstances. Maybe this year is just one of those years where there's a lot of chatter about multiple people not qualifying for some of the big awards."

"But I've got way more pressing things to focus on. I'm sure it'll be discussed in the offseason, but it does seem to be a bigger conversation this year than it has been in the past, just because of the people involved."

65-Game Rule Could Keep Keyonte George Short of MIP

For the Jazz in particular, they'll have one of their own guys to keep an eye on when focusing on that 65-game rule in Keyonte George.

The third-year guard has since found his way into one of the league's top candidates to become Most Improved Player, but having missed nine of his past 11 games due to ankle injuries, and missing 11 games on the year to keep him seven games away from being ineligible, he's a case to keep an eye on as the regular season begins to wind down.

Feb 12, 2026; Salt Lake City, Utah, USA; Utah Jazz guard Keyonte George (3) warms up before a game against the Portland Trail Blazers at Delta Center. Mandatory Credit: Rob Gray-Imagn Images | Rob Gray-Imagn Images

Hardy says he'd like to see George find his way to 65 games played in a year, but emphasizes that while he's not looking to take away individual success, he will always focus on the health of the Jazz and his players over chasing any hardware.

"I mean, I would like to get Keyonte 65 [games]. Like, I'm not ever trying to take away someone's ability to have individual success. But I think Keyonte understands that we're gonna approach it a game at a time, and we're gonna try to make sure that he's healthy, and that's always going to be our approach."

"We're going to choose the health of our organization, the health of our players, over chasing awards, and I think Keyonte knows that. But it's definitely something that, I would like for him to have a chance at."

Time will tell whether George has a real shot at claiming those Most Improved Honors at the end of the year following an electric campaign. But to get there first, he'll have to make sure he plays 15 of the Jazz's final 22 games on the schedule for voters to even have an option to give him that nod.