The NBA’s competition committee met Monday to explore further rule changes to restrict “unnatural” movements, which surround jump shots that players are using to take fouls, sources told ESPN.
The league wants to limit the ability of players, including skilled stars like James Harden, Luka Doncic and Trae Young, to lean back and to the sides, for example, to initiate contact and reach the free throw line.
The NBA has shared a compilation of video examples of players with all 30 teams that describes a series of movements considered ‘unnatural’ that were used to generate fouls. The NBA and the competition committee will delve into specific plays with the league’s general managers next week to identify examples that will be recommended to owners to vote to remove next season, the sources said.
There is a growing belief that many of these maneuvers are contributing to a game where the advantage leans too much toward offense. While the focus on these issues is often focused on star players getting much more use and exposure with the ball, the league sees this as a universal problem across all lineups and rosters, not just a problem for star players.
The NBA and the competition committee, which comprises a select group of owners, general managers, coaches, players, and umpires, largely believe that there is a framework of rules that allows offensive players too much free time to initiate contact in what which is considered ‘unnatural’ and strange ways.
There is a plan for the competition committee to submit recommendations to the board of governors for a vote this summer, implementing rule changes ahead of the Las Vegas Summer League in August and the start of the 2021-2022 season, the officials added. sources.