How an NBA ruling could cost Raptors’ Scottie Barnes his shot at major awards

Denver Nuggets' Jamal Murray also could be impacted by Luka Doncic and Cade Cunningham being ruled eligible for NBA awards.

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Published Apr 16, 2026  •  3 minute read

Toronto Raptors forward Scottie Barnes is called for a foul on Detroit Pistons guard Cade Cunningham. The Canadian Press

The NBA made a decision Thursday that could significantly impact Toronto Raptors star Scottie Barnes, as well as Canadian standout Jamal Murray of the Denver Nuggets, amongst others.

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The league and the National Basketball Players Association had been working to decide whether guards Luka Doncic of the Los Angeles Lakers and Cade Cunningham of the Detroit Pistons would be eligible for the 2025-26 awards like MVP and All-NBA.

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Cunningham had played in 63 “qualified” (more on that later) games and Doncic played 64. The NBA and NBPA had collectively bargained for a 65-games played requirement ahead of the 2023-24 season in part to incentivize star players to sit out fewer games.

Players must be on the court for at least 20 minutes in 65 games to qualify for major awards like most valuable player, defensive player of the year and the three five-man All-NBA teams.

What was the NBA’s ruling?

It was ruled that though Cunningham completed just 63 qualified games and suffered a collapsed lung on March 17, which caused him to miss 12 games, and because Doncic played in 64 qualified games while missing two to attend the birth of his daughter in Slovenia, “taking into account the totality of the circumstances … each player qualified for awards under the extraordinary circumstances provision in the CBA.”

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It was also ruled that Minnesota Timberwolves guard Anthony Edwards, who played in 60 qualified games and had filed an extraordinary circumstances challenge under the CBA had been denied.

How does this impact Barnes and Murray?

Barnes turned in the best season of his career, earning his second all-star selection. Murray, from Kitchener, did the same, making the all-star game for the first time.

It was anticipated that Murray would be named to the all-NBA second team while Barnes would make the third team — had Doncic and Cunningham been ruled ineligible like Edwards.

Now Murray might end up on the third team and Barnes will be in a fight to make it at all. MVP front-runner Shai Gilgeous-Alexander and Steve Nash are the only Canadians to have made an all-NBA first or second team and Murray would be the third.

The rulings will also significantly impact Boston’s Jaylen Brown, who averaged 28.5 points per game and helped Boston withstand the nearly season-long absence of Jayson Tatum. Brown had a good shot at his first first-team selection and a Top 5 MVP finish.

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How could voting go now?

We could see the balloting go this way:

FIRST TEAM

Gilgeous-Alexander, Nikola Jokic, Victor Wembanyama, Doncic, Cunningham.

SECOND TEAM

Brown, Kawhi Leonard, Donovan Mitchell, Jalen Brunson, Kevin Durant.

THIRD TEAM

Murray, Jalen Duren, Maxey, Chet Holmgren.

That leaves one spot for Barnes, Portland’s Deni Avdija, Atlanta’s Jalen Johnson, Cleveland’s James Harden, Charlotte’s LaMelo Ball and anyone else voters might consider.

Doncic and Cunningham had all-world seasons and it’s good for them they were ruled eligible, but it will impact others and also leave the door open for future battles for eligibility.

The delay in the distribution of the ballots while the decisions were made also likely impacted other votes, like rookie of the year because Charlotte’s Kon Knueppel had a bad game in a Hornets play-in win earlier this week. Usually the ballots are handed out before the play-in starts.

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As for Barnes, talking about how the coming playoffs could define him, Raptors head coach Darko Rajakovic had a message that could also apply to all-NBA voters: “I know what Scottie can do. Those games will not change my opinion whatsoever.

“Other people, they need to watch more film, they need to study more than just look at the box score (and the fact Barnes averages fewer points than others in the mix).”

It will be interesting to see how the votes land.

@WolstatSun

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