Due to a new agreement made between the NBAPA and NBA, Ja Morant will be ineligible for the MVP, any All-NBA teams or other awards as a result of his 25-game suspension.
The agreement ratified in April stipulates that players need to play 65 games for 20 minutes per game in order to be eligible for any postseason awards. The Athletic reported there are protections against season-ending injuries (62 games) and near misses in minutes (players are allotted two games with at least 15 minutes, instead of 20).
"Bad faith circumstances" will also be considered when assessing whether a player has passed the threshold, the publication reported.
With a 25-game suspension, the most games Morant can play in is 57. This means Morant won't be an option on the ballot for first-team, second-team or third-team All-NBA, nor the MVP. He wouldn't even be eligible for Most Improved Player or Defensive Player of the Year.
While none of the major American sportsbooks host marketplaces on whether a player will make an All-NBA team, odds on MVP, Most Improved Player and Defensive Player of the Year are rampant.
As of earlier this week, Morant wasn't listed in early MVP odds because of a potential suspension.
Nikola Jokic opened as the +450 favorite on account of his electric season. Giannis Antetokounmpo (+550), Luka Doncic (+550) and Joel Embiid (+650) are the next likely favorites.
Jayson Tatum (+900), Kevin Durant (+1200), Shai Gilgeous-Alexander (+1500), Devin Booker (+1800), LeBron James (+2200) rounded out the top selections at Caesars.
Morant's suspension drove the Grizzlies' championship odds down a peg, too. Before news of yet another transgression, the Grizzlies had been +1500 across the marketplace. After a suspension loomed, that dropped to +1900. Now, the Grizzlies sit at +2200.
