"Where do you draw the line"- Ernie Johnson questions the rules under the NBA’s new CBA agreement

Ernie Johnson, Shaquille O’Neal, Charles Barkley and Kenny Smith discussed the NBA’s new CBA agreement. The NBA and NBPA have agreed that playing 65 games will be the new minimum for All-NBA selections and major individual honors, according to reports.

Major awards that will be affected include MVP, Most Improved Player, Defensive Player of the Year, Rookie of the Year and Sixth Man of the Year.

“I went down to 58 games, just like in the stats to qualify (as league leaders)," Johnson said. "If you didn’t play in 58 games, I can’t vote for you for All-NBA (under the proposed change).

“That’s gonna knock out Steph (Curry). that’s gonna knock out KD (Kevin Durant). That’s gonna knock out Kawhi Leonard. That’s gonna knock out Devin Booker. That’s gonna knock out a bunch of guys. Where do you draw the line otherwise? How do you say, ‘I’m gonna put you in, but I’m not gonna put you in.’”

The statistical minimum to qualify as the scoring champ or the rebounding leader is 70% of the team’s games or 58 games. Winning the MVP, DPOY, ROY and other major awards don’t have that requirement.

Utah Jazz legend Karl Malone won the MVP award during the 1998-99 season after playing just 49 games. Bill Walton in 1977-78 appeared 58 times for the Portland Trail Blazers. LeBron James won his second MVP title in 2011-12 in 62 games for the Miami Heat.

Charles Barkley, one of Ernie Johnson’s co-hosts, went with a much higher number than what the new CBA could require from players:

“I don’t think 70 (games) is too much to ask guys to play. That’s just my personal opinion. I think injuries are different than load management. I give guys wiggle room, but if you’re healthy, I think not 65, I think you have to play 70 games.”

Pressure from loyal fans may have forced team owners and the league to agree to the new minimum required number of games. Fans have been complaining about paying a premium price for tickets only for a superstar or two to sit out games due to load management.

Before load management became the norm, most basketball superstars played the entire 82-game schedule. Michael Jordan did not miss a single regular-season game in nine of his 15 seasons. MJ even played 82 games during the 2002-03 season as a 40-year-old guard with ailing knees.

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A few of today’s NBA superstars have already pushed back on the 65-game requirement

Draymond Green, one of today's most outspoken players, didn’t mince words when the CBA’s plan came out.

Here’s what he had to say in his podcast about the development:

“I can appreciate this – and everyone will appreciate this – until you got bums on the All-NBA team winning awards.”

Kevin Durant also took a shot at this part of the new CBA when he responded to a tweet from Shane Young. The Indiana Pacers columnist pointed out that KD deserves MVP consideration because of the season he has had.

Durant replied:

“Don’t count. Didn’t play 65 games”

If that requirement were to be implemented by the NBA this season, leading MVP candidate Joel Embiid would barely pass. “The Process” has played 66 games. Back-to-back MVP Nikola Jokic is a cinch for one of the top awards as he has already appeared 68 times for the Denver Nuggets.

Lebron James (53), Steph Curry (54), Giannis Antetokounmpo (63), Ja Morant (60), Durant (47) and many others will not even be considered for All-NBA teams.

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