Steve Kerr Calls for Revamp of NBA's 65-Game Eligibility Rule

Kerr cites Draymond Green's All-Defensive Team candidacy as an example of the rule's flaws

Mar. 21, 2026 at 3:34am

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Golden State Warriors head coach Steve Kerr has criticized the NBA's 65-game minimum for postseason award eligibility, arguing that the rule needs to be "revamped." Kerr pointed to Draymond Green's situation as an example, noting that Green has played 56 games this season but 5 of those were under the 20-minute threshold required to count toward the 65-game minimum. Kerr said the rule "needs to be revamped" to better reflect players who are actually contributing on the court.

Why it matters

The 65-game rule was introduced in 2023-24 to combat load management, but Kerr and others argue it has created unintended consequences, potentially penalizing star players like Draymond Green and Cade Cunningham who have missed games due to injury. With postseason awards triggering contractual raises and bonuses, the stakes of the eligibility question are high.

The details

Kerr said he was only recently made fully aware of the 20-minute threshold in the 65-game rule, calling it a "detail buried in the rule's fine print." He pointed to Green, who has played 56 games this season but 5 of those were under the 20-minute mark, as an example of how the rule is flawed. Green himself had previously criticized the rule using Cade Cunningham's situation as an example, noting that Cunningham played 61 games before being sidelined with a collapsed lung, putting his All-NBA candidacy at risk.

  • Kerr made his comments ahead of the Warriors' game against the Detroit Pistons on March 20, 2026.
  • Green had addressed the 65-game rule's problems earlier this week on his podcast, 'The Draymond Green Show.'

The players

Steve Kerr

Head coach of the Golden State Warriors, who has been outspoken about the need to revamp the NBA's 65-game eligibility rule.

Draymond Green

Golden State Warriors forward who is chasing his 10th All-Defensive Team selection this season, but has played 5 games under the 20-minute threshold required by the 65-game rule.

Cade Cunningham

Detroit Pistons star player who is a legitimate first-team All-NBA candidate but is at risk of falling short of the 65-game threshold after missing games due to a collapsed lung.

Rick Carlisle

Head coach of the Indiana Pacers, who agrees with Kerr's premise that the NBA schedule needs to be re-evaluated.

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What they’re saying

“You would think that benchmark would include games where guys actually played. Yes, it needs to be revamped.”

— Steve Kerr, Head Coach, Golden State Warriors

“I don't think there's a soul on the voting committee that will look at Cade's 61 games played and say, 'I don't think he qualifies for first-team All-NBA.' Here is a guy who's done everything right, has a collapsed lung, and he's going to miss All-NBA because of this dumb-a** rule that does not fix the issue.”

— Draymond Green

“When the effort was made to eliminate back-to-backs, in order to have the space to do that, you needed to shorten training camp. That extra week to build a base in terms of strength, I've always wondered if the effort to have less back-to-backs was really worth it. The nature of the game has changed significantly. Steve is right on point with that.”

— Rick Carlisle, Head Coach, Indiana Pacers

What’s next

The NBA will likely need to review the 65-game eligibility rule and consider revisions to address the concerns raised by Kerr, Green, and others.

The takeaway

The 65-game rule, introduced to combat load management, has created unintended consequences that may unfairly penalize star players who miss games due to injury. This case highlights the need for the NBA to re-evaluate its scheduling and eligibility policies to better support player health and ensure the league's top talent is recognized.