Back in 1979, the NBA adopted the three-point line, and the game of basketball has never been the same. Although many protested the addition, it quickly became clear that it was a step forward, making the game much more competitive for the players, and entertaining for the fans.
More than three decades later, another drastic change might be on its way to the NBA with the addition of a four-point line potentially on the table. NBA president of basketball operations, Rod Thorn, was asked about the potential addition of the four-point line and wasn’t opposed to the idea, admitting that there have been discussions about it according to Tom Haberstroh of ESPN Insider:
Thorn didn’t think the advent of a 4-pointer would be outlandish at all. Rather than reflexively squash the radical idea, as you might expect from a 72-year-old NBA lifer who has worn just about every hat in the league, Thorn seemed genuinely intrigued at the notion and revealed that the 4-pointer has “come up” in league discussions.
Although Thorn gave no indication as to when a four-point line could be strongly considered and possibly implemented, the former NBA Executive of the Year seems genuinely excited about the idea. Thorn did mention that coaches would struggle with the conception via Haberstroh:
“It would be unbelievable,” Thorn said. “But you know coaches would go crazy because now you’ve got another line out there. That’s crazy.”
Ironically enough, if a four-point line was added, one of the best players in the league shooting from 28 to 32 feet would be Los Angeles Lakers newcomer Kendall Marshall. Jamal Crawford currently leads the league in makes (14) and shot attempts (23) from that distance, but Marshall isn’t far behind shooting 47.8 percent from that distance.
It remains to be seen if a four-point line will be added to the game in the near future. Although many coaches and players will likely protest the addition, it doesn’t seem as farfetched an idea as it has been in the past.
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