The NBA has never been shy to tinker with its rulebook every so often. That’s no different this offseason as the NBA’s board of governors has given the green light for two new rule changes for the 2023-24 campaign.
The first rule change is a revision of the existing coach’s challenge. Teams will now be granted an additional challenge should their first one be deemed successful. Unlike the first challenge, the team will not retain their timeout even if their second one is also successful.
This is a change that teams and coaches are said to have wanted for years given that it no longer discourages teams from using their challenge earlier in the game. Ever since the rule’s introduction in the 2019-20 season, it’s been a common practice for coaches to pocket their challenge until the fourth quarter for a more consequential moment.
The second rule change is an attempt to curb flopping, which is when players embellish contact in order to coax the referee into a favorable call. The NBA’s current penalty is to simply fine players $2,000 after the fact, with increasing fines for repeat offenders.
Now, teams will also be penalized in-game if their player is deemed to have flopped. The opposing team would be rewarded with a technical free throw similar to that awarded for a defensive three-second violation. The rule will be implemented on a one-year trial basis. You can see an example of how the rule was used in the summer league.
It’s going to be interesting to see the early instances of the new anti-flop rule in action next season.
