The Board of Governors will vote to approve an in-game penalty for flopping, which could result in a technical foul free throw for the opposing team. Another change that could get approved is rewarding a second coach’s challenge if the first one is successful. Both of these changes would have a meaningful impact on the game going forward if approved, as the league tries to improve gameplay in various ways.
The NBA announced on July 4 that the league will test the flopping penalty and the extra coach’s challenge during 2023 Summer League games.
The coach’s challenge was introduced during the 2019-20 season, which was a one-year trial period. Despite some strong criticism from at least one coach, former Clippers coach Doc Rivers to be exact, it has been a success and has created some dramatic moments, especially in close games. Awarding a second challenge if the first one is successful has the ability to give a team an advantage, because there have been times where a crucial call could’ve been overturned but the team already used their lone coach’s challenge earlier in the game. It can also change the strategy of some coach’s who are known to be conservative with their challenge call. If they know for certain a play in the first quarter will go their way, they may be more inclined to use it with the guarantee of getting that challenge call back.
For the flopping penalty, this will certainly have an impact on the game. In nearly every NBA game there’s at least one play where a player flopped either defensively trying to sell an offensive foul, or an offensive player tries to flop for a shooting foul. Awarding a technical free throw to the opposing team could limit players from trying to sell a call, which will improve watching the game without all the fake theatrics. We’ll have to see how strict that is called by officials for next season, because there will surely be instances where players on both sides will be arguing about something that wasn’t called a flop.
If approved, it will be interesting to see how players and coaches maneuver around these new rules for next season.
