Tuesday, the NBA’s Board of Governors approved two rule changes for the upcoming season. One would give coaches a second challenge if their first one is successful, and the other would give them a technical foul if they floated.
The coaches have wanted to change the challenge rule for some time. With one caveat, coaches who successfully challenge a call will be eligible for a second challenge. To initiate a challenge, teams must take a break; Even if a coach prevailed in the initial challenge, that timeout would not be extended.
The league stated that players who flop or are penalized for “a physical act that reasonably appears to be intended to cause the officials to call a foul on another player” will receive a non-unsportsmanlike technical, which will not result in an ejection or count as a personal foul. However, depending on when it is called, it will grant the opposing team a free throw and may result in a possession change.
Officials have the option of calling a flopping violation during live play, or they can wait until the next “neutral opportunity” to do so.
The fine for floppers will be $2,000, with incremental increases for repeat offenders. A one-year experiment will serve as the flopping rule.
The NBA’s Competition Committee, which includes players, representatives from the National Basketball Players Association, coaches, governors, team basketball executives, and referees, recommended both rule changes unanimously at first.