Tyrese Haliburton on 65-game threshold: 'It's a stupid rule' / News - Basketnews.com

Haliburton says the 65-game threshold to win individual awards is a stupid rule, but he will do whatever the owners want, the player said sarcastically.

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With the recent signing of the new Collective Bargaining Agreement (CBA) between the NBA and its players, a new rule was established that players must play in at least 65 games to win an individual award. With several months left until the end of the regular season, it's already causing trouble.

Tyrese Haliburton

MIN:33.15PTS:23.17 (56.3%)REB:4.03As:12.47ST:1.08BL:0.64TO:2.44GM:36ProfileNBA2023/2024

Philadelphia 76ers' center Joel Embiid, who became the league's MVP last season, can only miss five more games this season to meet the threshold. Similarly to Embiid, Indiana Pacers superstar Tyrese Haliburton can lose out on more than just awards. The 23-year-old can miss out on tens of millions of dollars because of it.

Namely, Haliburton is eligible for a maximum extension this upcoming summer. Its size can vary from $205.9 million to $260 million. In order to get the highest amount of money, Haliburton has to either become MVP, Defensive Player of the Year or be named in either of the three All-NBA teams. Each of those awards requires players to have played at least 65 games in a particular season.

Haliburton can miss only five more games.

"I'm human like you guys. I use the internet as well. I completely understand it, and I understand what's at stake for me financially as well. But at the end of the day, it's also that I have to take care of my body to the best of my ability and put myself in the right situation. Yeah, I know I don't have a ton of games left," Haliburton said via IndyStar.

"I think it's a stupid rule like many guys in the league. But this is what the owners want, so as players, we have to do our job and play in 65 games if we're able to. That's what I gotta do - take care of my body to be able to play in those games. You're seeing other players in the league face the same thing. As long as the owners are happy," Haliburton said sarcastically.

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