The NBA Development League is currently testing a few potential game-changing rules for the NBA. These include the international goaltending rule (which allows a player to knock the ball away once it has touched the rim), a three-minute overtime, free live online streaming of all its games, and a playoff format in which the division winners can select which of the remaining postseason teams they will face in the first round. Any one of these things could become a part of the NBA in the future. So I got thinking, what other rules would make the NBA more exciting to watch? Here are three potential rule changes I came up with:
1. Half Court Shots = 5 points. The three-point line was a big deal when it was first instituted by the American Basketball Association in 1968. In fact, that was one of the biggest reasons the ABA could compete with the more established NBA, leading to the merger between the two. Three-pointers added a whole new dimension to the game, allowing more scoring per game and creating another area for players to specialize in.
Turning the half court line into the five-point line could do the same thing, although it wouldn’t have quite a dramatic effect. Think of all the potential. Four or five point games with only a few seconds left would be nail-biters instead of practically over. Big leads late in the game would never be safe. Each team would need a specialized five-point shooter that would keep opponents on their toes – maybe those crazy mascots who make insane shots at halftime would become a part of the team. Innovative coaches would find new strategies and plays that use the five-point line to their advantage. And all those hours of playing HORSE and shooting 3/4 court shots would finally pay off.
2. Flagrant Flopping. Every fan hates it when a player on the opposing team flops dramatically and gets the foul call they were looking for. Even when a player on your own team does it, you can’t tell me you don’t feel a little bit ashamed. I’m not opposed to selling a call – for example, I watched Shaq try to take a charge the other night (which is a miracle in and of itself), and he fell backwards when the guy hit him even though you know he could have stood his ground. But there is a difference between selling a call and pretending you got shot in the face. I don’t blame the referees for calling bad fouls sometimes because the game is played at such a high speed, but it is frustrating to see players get rewarded with free throws for their disgusting displays of acting.
The solution? Give each team two “challenges”, such as in football, per game where the coach challenges the call and refs take 30 seconds to watch a replay and then decide if it was a foul or a flop. If it really was a foul, the team who challenged loses a time out. If it was a flop, it counts like a flagrant foul – the non-offending team gets two shots and the ball. The NBA said back in 2008 that players would be fined for flopping, but as far as I know, not a single fine has been handed out in over two years. By putting this option in the coaches’ hands and punishing offenders during games, something will finally be done to stop those NBA drama queens from disgracing the game of basketball.
3. Referee Training/Salaries. Did you know NBA refs only make $90,000 to $225,000 a year? That may sound nice to you and me, but considering how influential they are to the entire league, they shouldn’t be getting paid less than half of the minimum salary for players ($473,604). And with the amount of money the NBA likes to spend on projects such as the NBA D-League and WNBA, they should be more than willing to invest in some sort of institution to improve their officiating, considering it is arguably the biggest problem they have faced in the last decade. Referees each have their own styles and tendencies, but that shouldn’t be the case – league officials need to have very strict standards that are adhered to every night, and only the NBA can institute and develop those standards. The current refs do their best, and I know it is a very difficult job, but the NBA needs to take steps to ensure only the best and most well-trained officials are out on its courts. More rigorous training programs that result in higher salaries is the most effective way to do that.
I know you’re a little busy at the moment, Mr. Stern, but once these CBA discussions are completed, could you give these rule changes a moment of your time? Thank you.
Three Potential NBA Rule Changes
The NBA Development League is currently testing a few potential game-changing rules for the NBA. These include the international goaltending rule (which allows a player to knock the ball away once it has touched the rim), a three-minute overtime, free live online streaming of all its games, and a playoff format in which the division winners can select which of the remaining postseason teams they will face in the first round. Any one of these things could become a part of the NBA in the future. So I got thinking, what other rules would make the NBA more exciting to watch? Here are three potential rule changes I came up with:
1. Half Court Shots = 5 points. The three-point line was a big deal when it was first instituted by the American Basketball Association in 1968. In fact, that was one of the biggest reasons the ABA could compete with the more established NBA, leading to the merger between the two. Three-pointers added a whole new dimension to the game, allowing more scoring per game and creating another area for players to specialize in.
Turning the half court line into the five-point line could do the same thing, although it wouldn’t have quite a dramatic effect. Think of all the potential. Four or five point games with only a few seconds left would be nail-biters instead of practically over. Big leads late in the game would never be safe. Each team would need a specialized five-point shooter that would keep opponents on their toes – maybe those crazy mascots who make insane shots at halftime would become a part of the team. Innovative coaches would find new strategies and plays that use the five-point line to their advantage. And all those hours of playing HORSE and shooting 3/4 court shots would finally pay off.
2. Flagrant Flopping. Every fan hates it when a player on the opposing team flops dramatically and gets the foul call they were looking for. Even when a player on your own team does it, you can’t tell me you don’t feel a little bit ashamed. I’m not opposed to selling a call – for example, I watched Shaq try to take a charge the other night (which is a miracle in and of itself), and he fell backwards when the guy hit him even though you know he could have stood his ground. But there is a difference between selling a call and pretending you got shot in the face. I don’t blame the referees for calling bad fouls sometimes because the game is played at such a high speed, but it is frustrating to see players get rewarded with free throws for their disgusting displays of acting.
The solution? Give each team two “challenges”, such as in football, per game where the coach challenges the call and refs take 30 seconds to watch a replay and then decide if it was a foul or a flop. If it really was a foul, the team who challenged loses a time out. If it was a flop, it counts like a flagrant foul – the non-offending team gets two shots and the ball. The NBA said back in 2008 that players would be fined for flopping, but as far as I know, not a single fine has been handed out in over two years. By putting this option in the coaches’ hands and punishing offenders during games, something will finally be done to stop those NBA drama queens from disgracing the game of basketball.
3. Referee Training/Salaries. Did you know NBA refs only make $90,000 to $225,000 a year? That may sound nice to you and me, but considering how influential they are to the entire league, they shouldn’t be getting paid less than half of the minimum salary for players ($473,604). And with the amount of money the NBA likes to spend on projects such as the NBA D-League and WNBA, they should be more than willing to invest in some sort of institution to improve their officiating, considering it is arguably the biggest problem they have faced in the last decade. Referees each have their own styles and tendencies, but that shouldn’t be the case – league officials need to have very strict standards that are adhered to every night, and only the NBA can institute and develop those standards. The current refs do their best, and I know it is a very difficult job, but the NBA needs to take steps to ensure only the best and most well-trained officials are out on its courts. More rigorous training programs that result in higher salaries is the most effective way to do that.
I know you’re a little busy at the moment, Mr. Stern, but once these CBA discussions are completed, could you give these rule changes a moment of your time? Thank you.
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