Draymond Green has never needed much of a runway to speak his mind. This time, his frustration isn’t aimed at a rival, a referee, or even a playoff opponent; it’s aimed squarely at an NBA rule he believes has already cost players tens of millions of dollars.

At the center of Green’s argument is the league’s controversial 65-game eligibility rule, a policy designed to curb load management by tying major awards and honors to minimum games played. While the rule was introduced with good intentions, Green believes it has created more injustice than accountability, and he says Jayson Tatum is living proof.

Speaking on his podcast, the Golden State Warriors star didn’t mince words while explaining why the rule fundamentally misunderstands how awards are supposed to work.

“Joker is having an MVP-caliber season. Possibly going to miss out on the award due to a freak injury. And due to load management, we put this 65-game rule in that affects the awards, All-NBA teams, other major awards, defense teams, etc.”

Green’s point wasn’t just about awards; it was about precedent.

Green argued that MVP voting has always been a human process, not a spreadsheet exercise. In his view, imposing rigid thresholds undermines the very discretion voters are trusted to exercise.

“We put this rule in that was to combat load management, but I don’t know a single star player like a Jokic that’s sitting 17 games for load management. It’s one of those rules put in place as if one size fits all.”

That argument carries extra weight this season, as Nikola Jokic risks falling short of eligibility despite playing at an MVP level. Jokic is averaging 29.6 points, 12.2 rebounds, and 11.0 assists while shooting over 60 percent from the field, production that would typically make him a frontrunner.

Yet a knee hyperextension has put his availability and his award eligibility in question.

Green’s frustration sharpened when he brought up Tatum, who lost a massive payday because of award criteria rather than on-court performance. During the 2020–21 season, Tatum missed out on a $32.6 million contract escalator after failing to make an All-NBA team.

“If Joker plays 64 games and the 100 voters decide as human beings because this isn’t a mathematical equation, then why should he be eliminated?” Green said. “Maybe we should turn it into a formula so human beings can’t cost Jayson Tatum $30 million.”

Tatum averaged 26.4 points, 7.4 rebounds, and 4.3 assists that season, yet positional voting quirks left him off the All-NBA list despite receiving more total votes than some selected players. For Green, it was a textbook example of how rigid rules and technicalities can override common sense.

Green also pointed to Ja Morant, who lost roughly $39 million after missing All-NBA eligibility in 2022–23. Morant played just 59 games due in part to an eight-game suspension, falling short of thresholds tied to the Derrick Rose Rule, a CBA clause that allows young stars to earn higher maximum contracts if they meet certain award criteria.

Morant averaged 26.2 points and 8.1 assists that season. The production was there. The games played were not.

For Green, that distinction is exactly the problem.

Draymond Shares Personal Experience of Missing out on DPOY award

This isn’t a theoretical debate for Green. He’s lived it.

In 2014–15, Green finished second in Defensive Player of the Year voting behind Kawhi Leonard, despite receiving more first-place votes. Leonard appeared on more total ballots, which ultimately decided the award.

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“I speak from experience as someone who lost a Defensive Player of the Year award to someone who played 55 games,” Green said. “You change it now, and it affects the entire history of the NBA. You’ve got to find a different way, because this way ain’t the answer.”

At its core, Green’s stance isn’t anti-accountability. It’s anti-automation. He believes awards should reflect impact, dominance, and context, not arbitrary cutoffs that erase nuance.

With MVP races, All-NBA selections, and tens of millions of dollars tied to these outcomes, Green sees the 65-game rule as a blunt instrument applied to a problem that requires judgment, not formulas.

And as players like Jokic, Tatum, and Morant continue to feel the consequences, Green’s message is clear: if the NBA trusts humans to vote, it should also trust them to decide without a calculator thinking about them.