Anthony Edwards' Absence Reignites Discussion Over NBA's 65-Game Rule

The NBA clearly has a problem on its hands.

Mar 13, 2026; San Francisco, California, USA; Minnesota Timberwolves guard Anthony Edwards (5) reacts after the Timberwolves were called for a foul against the Golden State Warriors in the fourth quarter at the Chase Center. Mandatory Credit: Cary Edmondson-Imagn Images | Cary Edmondson-Imagn Images

Anthony Edwards did not play in Thursday night's game against the Pistons, which now puts him below the 65-game threshold required to make an All-NBA team following this season. He joins a growing list of superstars who will come up just short of the requirement, and it's clear the NBA has to find a better solution.

There are a lot of things fans complain about regarding the NBA nowadays. Load management and tanking are two of the biggest. The league originally implemented a 65-game rule in hopes of reducing the number of games players sit out due to "rest." While you could argue that the situation has improved, the rule change has just created another issue.

Pistons guard Cade Cunningham was a lock for an All-NBA team, but a collapsed lung will hold him out of the required games to reach that status. He will end the season playing more than 60 games, and he's currently averaging 24.5 points, 5.6 rebounds and 9.9 assists. That player being left off an All-NBA team doesn't make much sense.

The rule became even sillier when potential league MVP Luka Doncic left a game on Thursday with what looked like a lower leg injury. He's leading the league with 33.5 points per game this season, to go along with 7.7 rebounds and 8.3 assists a night. He has played only 64 games this season, so he's technically ineligible for any postseason awards.

Edwards is expected to return to the lineup on Friday night against the 76ers. He has averaged 29.3 points, 5.1 rebounds and 3.7 assists per game, and it seemed like he had a great chance of being named first-team All-NBA for the first time in his career.

There's a scenario where he appears in 65 games, but he's still ineligible because he played just five minutes against the Pacers in November after leaving early with an injury. Anyone with their head screwed on right realizes that's a silly rule.

The NBA is facing a lot of issues as a league right now, but it's obvious that the current 65-game minimum rule is not the way to go in fighting against load management. Whether that's bumping the number down, or eliminating the rule altogether is for Adam Silver and the league to decide.

All we know is that Edwards had a first-team All-NBA-level season, and it's a shame if missing one game stops him from that honor.