Warriors G Steph Curry said that he "sees value of the rule for the MVP award but not everything else"Getty Images
The NBA advocated for the new 65-game eligibility rule for league awards because it "impacts everything from the basketball games themselves to the next media rights deal," which "comes up for negotiation next month," according to Mike Vorkunov of THE ATHLETIC. The NBA had seen an "increased reliance on load management," which has "watered down nationally-televised games." The trend has come to the "attention of the NBA’s television partners, who are regularly in touch" with NBA Commissioner Adam Silver. One top network exec who worked for one of the two companies that has a rights deal with the league had “reached out to Silver to express his displeasure," as he was "frustrated that the league’s star players were sitting out marquee broadcasts.” NBA Head of Basketball Operations Joe Dumars "didn't deny that the next media rights deal factors into the NBA’s decision” to implement the rule. Silver has, in the past, mentioned that star availability “has an impact on its media fees.” However, not even a full year into its application, the 65-game rule has been "met with criticism from players." Interim NBPA Exec Dir Andre Iguodala has “already discussed the rule with Silver this winter and asked if it was time to revisit it,” but Silver said that it is “too early to pass judgment on it.” Dumars also gave “no indication that the league was considering making any changes.” The rule is set to be in place “through at least the end of the current CBA,” which runs through 2030, unless the league and union “agree to strip it out or change it” (THE ATHLETIC, 2/28).
