The NBA's first regular season with controversial new participation rules is official.
For those not in the know, for the first time in league history, the NBA is requiring players to appear in at least 65 games to be eligible for a portion of the league's end-of-season awards.
If a player fails to meet the requirements, he or she will not be eligible for the prestigious award. This includes MVP, Defensive Player of the Year, All-NBA Team, All-Defensive His Team, and Most Valuable Player Award.
The new rules have helped star players miss fewer games this year. But at the same time, players didn't seem too happy about this at first. Kevin Durant was the first player to advocate for this new rule when it was announced as a possibility for this season.
There are good reasons for this. If a player fails to win these awards, he could be missing out on hundreds of millions of dollars. This is a big problem for some of the players on this list.
Let's take a look at the list so far.
Required Credit: Gary A. Vasquez-USA TODAY Sports
Karl-Anthony Towns tore his meniscus late in the season and missed 21 games this season. The 61 games he played fell just short of the 65-game threshold required for the postseason award.
Required Credit: Eric Hartline-USA TODAY Sports
Joel Embiid's name is perhaps the most notable on this list. The 76ers center was on his way to becoming another MVP until he tore his meniscus. He is now back in the 76ers lineup and focused on the playoffs.
Required Credit: David Richard-USA TODAY Sports
Donovan Mitchell would have been a key to the All-NBA team if he was eligible for the award this season. However, he has only appeared in 59 games this season, as he was sidelined for a short time with a broken nose and knee injury.
Ed Szczepanski-USA TODAY Sports
Scottie Barnes would have been a candidate for the Player of the Year award considering his All-Star appearance this season. However, he will miss out as he has only played in 59 games.
John E. Sokolowski-USA TODAY Sports
Porzingis has missed multiple games so far this year due to a lingering injury. He played in 55 games this year.
Required Credit: John E. Sokolowski-USA TODAY Sports
Draymond Green's suspension early in the season was a big factor in keeping him out of postseason awards contention.
Wendell Cruz-USA TODAY Sports
OG Anunoby should have been beloved by the All-Defensive Team for the way he played after being traded to the Knicks, but he missed too much time due to an elbow injury.
Required Credit: Isaiah J. Downing-USA TODAY Sports
Jimmy Butler has been in and out of the Heat's lineup this season due to various injuries. He has played in 59 games this year.
Required Credit: Alonzo Adams-USA TODAY Sports
Mark J. Revillas-USA TODAY Sports
Bradley Beal's 53 games with Phoenix is the most he's played since the 2020 NBA season, but it's not enough to keep him eligible for any awards.
Mike Watters-USA TODAY Sports
Isaiah J. Downing-USA TODAY Sports
Bill Streicher-USA TODAY Sports
Evan Mobley's season was marred by injuries, but during his playing days he was arguably one of the best defenders on the court. Considering he's only played 50 games for the Cavs this year, he won't be eligible for DPOY.
Vincent Carchietta-USA TODAY Sports
The Bucks have struggled to stay healthy all season. Khris Middleton is essentially the embodiment of that — he just hasn't been able to piece together a consistent stretch in Milwaukee. He played in 55 games this year, which felt like less.
