As NBA free agency continues to steal all the headlines, the league is focused on improving its product on the court. The NBA will be experimenting with some rule changes during the California Classic and Summer Leagues in Las Vegas and Salt Lake City.
It’s a common trend for the league to experiment with rules during the offseason. The NBA made a change last year to an unpopular rule where players like James Harden mastered drawing fouls using “unnatural” shooting motions. The change didn’t impact Los Angeles Lakers players Russell Westbrook or Carmelo Anthony, but some around the league struggled to adjust.
Now, the NBA announced it is making stronger changes regarding the transition take foul, among others, testing it out this summer.
@NBAPR pic.twitter.com/RfIgZ3Kiyg
— NBA Official (@NBAOfficial) July 1, 2022
— NBA Official (@NBAOfficial) July 1, 2022
League officials expressed their interest in cracking down transition fouls, which at times hurt the product on the court. The foul was known as the “Euro Foul” because of its frequency in games overseas. Former Lakers head coach Frank Vogel made his dissatisfaction about the take foul clear last October, saying he wanted the league to take a look at them.
The league now makes a clear distinction between what a transition foul is and what a transition scoring opportunity is. It’s too soon to see whether or not this will have an impact on the game, but it’s a good start.
Small changes have also been made limiting when referees initiate replays. Referees will only stop play to check specific instances. It’s a move Jeff Van Gundy, a frequent basher of stoppages for games, will relish.
The NBA is always aiming to put out the best product possible and the new rules surely help with that.
Lakers competing for free agent Thomas Bryant
The Lakers have been active in free agency with their limited cap space. L.A. kicked off free agency by signing former Lakers center Damian Jones and is now in the mix for another former Lakers big man — Thomas Bryant.
Bryant spent his last four seasons with the Washington Wizards emerging as a solid stretch big. But, after tearing his ACL in January 2021, his numbers declined dramatically. The Lakers are currently battling with the Boston Celtics over Bryant, who will likely command a veteran’s minimum deal.
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