DETROIT – The NBA and the National Basketball Players Association have decided on the status of Detroit Pistons star Cade Cunningham regarding his eligibility for the annual awards for the 2025-26 regular season.
News broke Thursday (April 16) afternoon that the NBA and the NBPA have agreed in accordance with the collective bargaining agreement that Cunningham and Los Angeles Lakers star Luka Dončić are eligible for all awards after both players suffered major injuries during the season, leaving them one game shy of the league’s 65-game minimum for awards eligibility.
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The following has been released by the NBA. pic.twitter.com/ZT2SldeN6X
— NBA Communications (@NBAPR) April 16, 2026
Cunningham and Dončić played in 64 games this season, with the Pistons star being diagnosed with a collapsed lung on March 17 during a road game against the Washington Wizards.
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Dončić missed two games due to the birth of his daughter in Slovenia.
The injury sidelined Cunningham for 11 games before he returned on April 8 to help the team take a 137-111 victory over the Milwaukee Bucks, scoring 13 points, dropping 10 assists, and notching five rebounds in the victory.
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The league and union said that, considering the totality of the circumstances, both players qualify for awards under the extraordinary circumstances provision.
Meanwhile, Anthony Edwards of the Minnesota Timberwolves, who played in 60 qualifying games, filed an extraordinary circumstances challenge seeking eligibility for an award before an independent arbitrator.
The challenge was denied, making him ineligible for annual awards for the 2025-26 season.
Prior to Wednesday’s decision, Cunningham spoke about the potential of being ineligable for regular season awards.
“I feel a lot of ways about it,” said Cunningham. “I think what they are trying to do is have superstars play and not sit out just to rest because fans pay a lot of money to watch us play games, so I have a lot of respect for that. The fans come to watch me play, and I want to make sure that I’m available and I give them a show whenever they come out.
Cunningham continued:
“So in that way, I respect the rule. I think that it is a good rule in that way. It’s tough for me right now this year because I think I’ve done a lot of work to be in consideration for awards and All-NBA and all of that stuff. So, I’m in a tough spot, but it will all play out how it is supposed to play out, and I’m just trying to do my best, just trying to help my team win. I’m hearing all of this stuff about exceptions and all of this other stuff. I don’t know how all of that stuff works. I just keep doing my job day by day, and whatever comes will come, and what’s meant to be will be.”
The Pistons capped a historic regular season with a 60-22 record and the top seed in the Eastern Conference, but the milestone comes with a costly caveat for the two-time All-Star.
Detroit secured its first Central Division title in 18 years with a season-ending win over the Indiana Pacers, reaching the 60-win mark for the first time since the 2005-06 season.
Cunningham has been a central figure in Detroit’s turnaround, alongside fellow All-Star Jalen Duren and head coach J.B. Bickerstaff.
The Pistons finished with their best record in two decades, echoing the franchise’s past success.
Detroit’s 60-win season marks its strongest showing since the “Goin’ to Work” era team that reached the Eastern Conference finals in 2006.
It also joins the franchise’s elite seasons, including the 1988-89 “Bad Boys” team that went on to win an NBA title.
With the weight of the decision off his back, Cunningham and the Pistons can turn their focus to the playoffs on Sunday as they will learn their first-round opponent Friday night, when the final Eastern Conference play-in spot is decided between the Charlotte Hornets and the Orlando Magic.
Tipoff is set for 6:30 p.m. EDT, but before the playoff tip-off.