What do you think is wrong with the league? List some rule change ideas

[Im Still Ballin]

I think there are two general problems that I have with the current NBA:

1) Rules and their interpretations favor offense
2) Rules and their interpretations favor perimeter-based offensive strategies (Outside-in, pullup shooting, dribble penetration)

According to EPM, the #1 offensive player is worth +7.8 points per 100 possessions while the #1 defensive player is worth +4.0 points per 100 possessions. Almost twice as impactful, which isn't surprising, given basketball is an offensive-slanted game. It's not like soccer where scores are routinely 0-0 or 1-0.

But I would like to see defenders become more impactful relative to offense. Just a shrinking of the gap. If the top offensive player is worth +8 points per 100 possessions, I'd like to see the top defender around +5-6 per 100 possessions instead of +4. But I'm not sure if that's possible.

I don't have access to historical EPM, but another one-number metric has Gobert's 2021 season as +5.08 per 100 possessions on defense. That's Basketball Index's LEBRON metric. Yes, that's the real name. I wonder what KG, Duncan, D-Rob, Dikembe, B. Wallace, and Mourning's best defensive per 100 numbers are.

Here's a list of rule change ideas. Some are more dramatic than others.

- Bring back hand-checking completely
- Bring back hand-checking only in the backcourt to incentivize ball pressure and encourage scores off turnovers
- Remove three seconds in the key completely
- Extend three seconds in the key to five seconds in the key
- Modify the three-point line to remove the corners
- Modify the three-point line to extend the above-the-break three

I don't think they'll address illegal screen abuse or foul-baiting tactics. Remember the start of last season? Or was it the one prior? They started ignoring foul-baiting and offense immediately went down, only for them to switch up later in the season. I also think any ideas about capping three-point shots or changing to 2.5 points are stupid and completely unrealistic.

My ideal NBA is balanced on offense and defense and doesn't favor one style of offense over another. All types of players and skill sets should be empowered and given a realistic chance to succeed. I think of it in video game terms: the gameplay should be balanced; if there's an overpowered strategy it should be nerfed.

[Xiao Yao You]

ideally the D has a chance and everything isn't favored for the offense. Don't want to bring back the Bad Boys or Knicks or Heat of the 90's but they've went too far the other way now. I'd get the ball handling under control. It's ridiculous what they allow them to do with steps and palming/ Get rid of the corner 3 which would decrease the spacing

[RogueBorg]

Players don't want to play. They're upset about having to meet an 80% come to work threshold. I find it very hard to spend hundreds of dollars to go to a game when there's a pretty good chance the stars will sit. I'm just not taking that chance.

"People don't know this, but one of the reasons my husband played through injuries and pain was because he said he remembered being a little kid, sitting in the nosebleeds with his dad to watch his favorite player [Michael Jordan] play."

"Kobe didn't want to disappoint his fans, especially the ones in the 300 sections that saved up to watch him play."

"I remember asking him why he couldn't just sit a game out because he was hurting. he said, 'what about the fans that saved up to watch me play just once?' He never forgot about his fans."

In less that 10 years, this attitude is all but gone in today's NBA.

[Wardell Curry]

In less that 10 years, this attitude is all but gone in today's NBA.

This is not an NBA problem. This is a societal problem. If you hire kids in their teens or early 20s, they have entirely different attitudes towards work and employers than previous generations. I'm pretty sure old people have been saying this with each successive generation, but never before have ceaseless at will dopamine hits been available in everyone's pockets everywhere all at once.

[RogueBorg]

This is not an NBA problem. This is a societal problem. If you hire kids in their teens or early 20s, they have entirely different attitudes towards work and employers than previous generations. I'm pretty sure old people have been saying this with each successive generation, but never before have ceaseless at will dopamine hits been available in everyone's pockets everywhere all at once.

I won't disagree with your basic premise, but I will say if you're an NFL fan say of the Chiefs, you don't have to worry about Patrick Mahomes taking a game off. In fact, I can't think of one QB where you have to worry about this. I use the QB as the example as they're usually the biggest stars on NFL teams.

[Xiao Yao You]

I won't disagree with your basic premise, but I will say if you're an NFL fan say of the Chiefs, you don't have to worry about Patrick Mahomes taking a game off. In fact, I can't think of one QB where you have to worry about this. I use the QB as the example as they're usually the biggest stars on NFL teams.

NFL only plays 17 games so they are more important

[iamgine]

I'd like to see common sense interpretation of rules among refs and call things that goes beyond the spirit of the rules.

Like this:

https://media.tenor.com/JQM_lFnyrqoAAAAd/james-harden-stepback.gif


Technically not a travel but you gotta call this.

[Wardell Curry]

I won't disagree with your basic premise, but I will say if you're an NFL fan say of the Chiefs, you don't have to worry about Patrick Mahomes taking a game off. In fact, I can't think of one QB where you have to worry about this. I use the QB as the example as they're usually the biggest stars on NFL teams.

Fair enough, but that's one game a week. It's also a big reason why the NFL is the most popular sport in the USA. Total casuals can stay up to date just by tuning in once a week.

[Full Court]

ideally the D has a chance and everything isn't favored for the offense. Don't want to bring back the Bad Boys or Knicks or Heat of the 90's but they've went too far the other way now. I'd get the ball handling under control. It's ridiculous what they allow them to do with steps and palming/ Get rid of the corner 3 which would decrease the spacing

Getting rid of the corner three is an interesting idea. I hadn't really thought about that one, but thinking about it...I like it.

That and stop the whole gather step shenanigans.

[RogueBorg]

NFL only plays 17 games so they are more important

They're much more violent. They have a much better excuse for taking games off than NBA players do.

[SaltyMeatballs]

Bad refs ruin this league. I feel like this season I have seen more missed/bad calls than I have in any other season, and it makes sense since the NBA openly embraces sports betting platforms like no other league.

[RogueBorg]

Bad refs ruin this league. I feel like this season I have seen more missed/bad calls than I have in any other season, and it makes sense since the NBA openly embraces sports betting platforms like no other league.

All leagues have the same Ref problem which makes you wonder, are all referees getting worse or is it our access to instant replay, which seems to come faster than ever, giving us the ability to criticize these guys almost instantly? I remember horrible calls in NFL playoff games all the way back in the 70's that we just didn't know about til long after the games were over. My point is, there's always been bad calls.

[1987_Lakers]

Get rid of the corner 3? I'm glad some posters here are not rule makers. :oldlol:

[FKAri]

Players don't want to play. They're upset about having to meet an 80% come to work threshold. I find it very hard to spend hundreds of dollars to go to a game when there's a pretty good chance the stars will sit. I'm just not taking that chance.

"People don't know this, but one of the reasons my husband played through injuries and pain was because he said he remembered being a little kid, sitting in the nosebleeds with his dad to watch his favorite player [Michael Jordan] play."

"Kobe didn't want to disappoint his fans, especially the ones in the 300 sections that saved up to watch him play."

"I remember asking him why he couldn't just sit a game out because he was hurting. he said, 'what about the fans that saved up to watch me play just once?' He never forgot about his fans."

In less that 10 years, this attitude is all but gone in today's NBA.

Players always want to play. Sponsors want the player to play. The root problem is sports agencies and to a lesser extent the team orgs themselves. The team doesn't want you to have a long term health issue. Small missed time is OK because the tickets are already sold but you need to be ready at the start of each season for the season ticket purchases. The agencies however are only concerned about their cut and for them they want you to take the least amount of risk possible because it affects their earnings. A lot of this is due to guaranteed contracts but that's not going away so it is what it is.



I'd like to see common sense interpretation of rules among refs and call things that goes beyond the spirit of the rules.

The rules don't make sense and never have so I don't know what you're looking for. Since the 50's people have kept asking refs, "if A is legal why is B illegal" and it's led to a domino effect over time. Basketball rules were never designed to hold up to the level of competitive scrutiny they are under. The zero step and all this new language added to the game over time weren't changes. They were an attempt ratify what was already being called.

[iamgine]

The rules don't make sense and never have so I don't know what you're looking for. Since the 50's people have kept asking refs, "if A is legal why is B illegal" and it's led to a domino effect over time. Basketball rules were never designed to hold up to the level of competitive scrutiny they are under. The zero step and all this new language added to the game over time weren't changes. They were an attempt ratify what was already being called.

Which rule don't make sense? I'm saying the refs need to use common sense discretion and call things accordingly. For example, KD's infamous "rip through" move was technically a defensive foul. But when he's doing it intentionally, that would go beyond the spirit of the rules and so the refs shouldn't call it. They should even call it offensive foul. Instead, they need to wait seasons for ratification when there's really no need for that. Same with Harden's stepback.

[FKAri]

Which rule don't make sense? I'm saying the refs need to use common sense discretion and call things accordingly. For example, KD's infamous "rip through" move was technically a defensive foul. But when he's doing it intentionally, that would go beyond the spirit of the rules and so the refs shouldn't call it. They should even call it offensive foul. Instead, they need to wait seasons for ratification when there's really no need for that. Same with Harden's stepback.
The majority of contact rules in basketball are stupid and up in the air. We all know the obvious things that refs can see and call like push offs where there's elbow extension but a lot of contact can't be seen. Things you can do legally as a 150lbs player vs a 250lbs player are fouls if the roles are reversed. If I'm backing down a bigger guy I can get way more physical. If I'm backing down a smaller guy I have to be way more careful to not get called for an offensive foul. If I'm defending a bigger guy I can get way more physical, etc. It's turned into a game that punishes strength and over time we've seen the shape of the NBA player change to correspond: Longer, lankier, and skinnier.

A lot of this stuff used to be up to a ref's discretion. Over time the NBA wanted to make things more objective so they had to put words on paper and it's only revealed how subjective the rules really are. Oh and Harden's step back is legal when done correctly but it's impossible to tell in real time so they just give him the benefit of the doubt. He probably travels on it more than half the time in reality.

[iamgine]

The majority of contact rules in basketball are stupid and up in the air. We all know the obvious things that refs can see and call like push offs where there's elbow extension but a lot of contact can't be seen. Things you can do legally as a 150lbs player vs a 250lbs player are fouls if the roles are reversed. If I'm backing down a bigger guy I can get way more physical. If I'm backing down a smaller guy I have to be way more careful to not get called for an offensive foul. If I'm defending a bigger guy I can get way more physical, etc. It's turned into a game that punishes strength and over time we've seen the shape of the NBA player change to correspond: Longer, lankier, and skinnier.

A lot of this stuff used to be up to a ref's discretion. Over time the NBA wanted to make things more objective so they had to put words on paper and it's only revealed how subjective the rules really are. Oh and Harden's step back is legal when done correctly but it's impossible to tell in real time so they just give him the benefit of the doubt. He probably travels on it more than half the time in reality.

That's what I'm saying. Bring back ref's discretion. Harden's double step back can be 100% legal but they should still call it. KD's rip through can be 100% legal but they should still call it.

This is the same with any other sport. Ref/umpire discretion just solves a lot of things when they're not misused.

[Phoenix]

Go back to early 2000s defensive rules. If the players are more skilled as we always hear they should adapt, right? I'm partly being facetious but its obvious the pendulum has swung way too far to the offensive side.

As an aside, on average how many extra possessions were created by resetting the clock to 14 seconds off offensive rebounds a few seasons back?

[FKAri]

That's what I'm saying. Bring back ref's discretion.
They have plenty already. The purpose is to have a standard so there's consistency. So you minimize discretion as much possible and try to make rules that everyone can agree on.


Harden's double step back can be 100% legal but they should still call it.
Call non-travels as travels too? What does this even mean?


Go back to early 2000s defensive rules. If the players are more skilled as we always hear they should adapt, right? I'm partly being facetious but its obvious the pendulum has swung way too far to the offensive side.

Was it harder to score in the early 2000s than in the early 90s?

[iamgine]

They have plenty already. The purpose is to have a standard so there's consistency. So you minimize discretion as much possible and try to make rules that everyone can agree on.


Call non-travels as travels too? What does this even mean?


Nah they should collectively decide whether it's something that goes beyond the spirit of the rules. Should've taken 1 week to decide rip through move shouldn't be awarded fouls instead of years.

[Im Still Ballin]

Go back to early 2000s defensive rules. If the players are more skilled as we always hear they should adapt, right? I'm partly being facetious but its obvious the pendulum has swung way too far to the offensive side.

As an aside, on average how many extra possessions were created by resetting the clock to 14 seconds off offensive rebounds a few seasons back?

Removing three seconds in the key is a good first step, or at least lengthening it to five seconds. Defenses should have complete freedom regarding positioning. If ball pressure is restricted, they should at least be able to set up in any formation they want.

EuroLeague doesn't have three in the key and its top offense is like 119 points per 100 possessions. So, it wouldn't be catastrophic to offenses.

[Phoenix]

Was it harder to score in the early 2000s than in the early 90s?

I think its generally accepted that the early 2000s was the most depressed defensive era, leading to the 2004 rules change( and the subsequent perimeter offensive explosion).

[Phoenix]

Removing three seconds in the key is a good first step, or at least lengthening it to five seconds. Defenses should have complete freedom regarding positioning. If ball pressure is restricted, they should at least be able to set up in any formation they want.

EuroLeague doesn't have three in the key and its top offense is like 119 points per 100 possessions. So, it wouldn't be catastrophic to offenses.

What about bringing back handchecking?

[Xiao Yao You]

Go back to early 2000s defensive rules. If the players are more skilled as we always hear they should adapt, right? I'm partly being facetious but its obvious the pendulum has swung way too far to the offensive side.

As an aside, on average how many extra possessions were created by resetting the clock to 14 seconds off offensive rebounds a few seasons back?

stupid to reset the clock back to 24 seconds when it's already in the front court. That's a good rule. A lot of teams don't even go after offensive boards anymore anyway. More worried about transition D

[Phoenix]

stupid to reset the clock back to 24 seconds when it's already in the front court. That's a good rule. A lot of teams don't even go after offensive boards anymore anyway. More worried about transition D

Its served to increase possessions/ scoring but I dont see much other benefit. The league was more than fine with the 24 second reset for most of its existence. The offense doesnt need more help scoring the ball

[Im Still Ballin]

What about bringing back handchecking?

That's ideal but I doubt the league would go for it. Removing defensive three seconds or extending it to five seconds seems like something they'd go for. It's a shame because the rule restricts defensive creativity regarding positioning, structure, and schemes.

I wonder if we could get an '08 Boston type of defense if they made the change. I guess Minnesota's not that far off right now. -7.4 rDRtg last time I checked. But in absolute terms, a ways off the 98.9 defensive rating of that team.



Boston 2007-08: 98.9 defensive rating (-8.6 rDRtg)
Minnesota 2023-24: 108.3 defensive rating (-7.4 rDRtg)

[Xiao Yao You]

That's ideal but I doubt the league would go for it. Removing defensive three seconds or extending it to five seconds seems like something they'd go for. It's a shame because the rule restricts defensive creativity regarding positioning, structure, and schemes.

I wonder if we could get an '08 Boston type of defense if they made the change. I guess Minnesota's not that far off right now. -7.4 rDRtg last time I checked. But in absolute terms, a ways off the 98.9 defensive rating of that team.

best D in 28 years!

[FKAri]

Nah they should collectively decide whether it's something that goes beyond the spirit of the rules. Should've taken 1 week to decide rip through move shouldn't be awarded fouls instead of years.
Come up with the language to describe what is and isn't a foul and we're good to go.


I think its generally accepted that the early 2000s was the most depressed defensive era, leading to the 2004 rules change( and the subsequent perimeter offensive explosion).
The switch to allow zone made it harder on offenses than defenses. Yes but if my team subs out a player who can shoot for a player who can't and now I'm having trouble scoring does that mean the defense got better? No but it is a more challenging scoring environment. Zone meant shooting priority went up and rosters had just not adjusted yet.


What about bringing back handchecking?

When people say this they're usually thinking of 90s style handchecking and that isn't going to do much of anything in today's game. It affects very few of the current big time scorers like Brunson or Trae. But back in the 70s you had real handchecking. That would allow the modern bigger wing defenders to really harass 90% of the modern PG scorers in an iso.

[Phoenix]

When people say this they're usually thinking of 90s style handchecking and that isn't going to do much of anything in today's game. It affects very few of the current big time scorers like Brunson or Trae. But back in the 70s you had real handchecking. That would allow the modern bigger wing defenders to really harass 90% of the modern PG scorers in an iso.

It would probably have to be in combination with tightening the reins on travelling/carrying rules but at that point, you're fundamentally changing the games of an entire generation who grew up carrying the ball and allowed an extra step or two( or three).

[dankok8]

You don't want to change the game fundamentally IMO like removing the 3pt line or pushing it back.

The way to bring the game back to normal and slow down the offense is remove the defensive 3 second rule, allow at least some handchecking on the perimeter and start calling obvious travels.

[Phoenix]

You don't want to change the game fundamentally IMO like removing the 3pt line or pushing it back.

The way to bring the game back to normal and slow down the offense is remove the defensive 3 second rule, allow at least some handchecking on the perimeter and start calling obvious travels.

Agree, also obvious carries and pocket the whistle on blatant foul-baiting tactics.

[90sgoat]

Which rule don't make sense? I'm saying the refs need to use common sense discretion and call things accordingly. For example, KD's infamous "rip through" move was technically a defensive foul. But when he's doing it intentionally, that would go beyond the spirit of the rules and so the refs shouldn't call it. They should even call it offensive foul. Instead, they need to wait seasons for ratification when there's really no need for that. Same with Harden's stepback.

This is why american contracts are hundreds of pages while european contracts are a couple of pages.

European law assumes people use common sense and the law isn't something to manipulate over a word, but it's the intention agreed upon that is the law.

[Duffy Pratt]

Make it so the five second rule for inbounding after a basket ends when someone touches the ball in play. No more of this stupid watching the ball roll down the floor. Not a big change, but a pet peeve of mine. Another solution would be to call it a delay of game, which it surely is.

No three point shots until the shot clock is down to 14 seconds.

Revive the 1 and 1 when a team gets a foul in the penalty.

Only get a third foul shot on a three point attempt if you make the first two.

As long as your challenges are successful, you get another challenge. Let the refs stop making obviously wrong calls if you need to speed the game up.

Eliminate all position restrictions on the defense.

Eliminate the protected circle. You want to make a high flying, highlight dunk in traffic, then you might injure yourself.

Any play where the offense initiates contact on a defender who has either jumped vertically or remained on his feet is not a defensive foul. Either a no-call or an offensive foul.

Get rid of the gather step (which never existed until Bron’s “crab dribble”) and start calling carries any time the hand is more than halfway down the ball (killing most people’s crossovers, and lots more that now passes for great handles).

Emphasize to the refs that the size, and position, of the player has no bearing at all on how they make calls.

[Xiao Yao You]

the ball rolling is lame for sure. I like the Gleague rule where they take 1 FT and they get 1, 2 or 3 points om a make depending on what they would normally shoot except for the last two minutes or 0 if they miss. They'll never do that though

[warriorfan]

the ball rolling is lame for sure. I like the Gleague rule where they take 1 FT and they get 1, 2 or 3 points om a make depending on what they would normally shoot except for the last two minutes or 0 if they miss. They'll never do that though

I personally have no problem with rolling the ball. Defense has the option to press him and try to make something of it or just deal with it, either way I don’t think I can recall a game where a team did it over and over and it was a tipping point to win the game. it’s more of a mind game move to get them distracted off their main game rather than the lynch pin of a serious strategy

lmao what free throw rule is that? that sounds horrible

plus the problem with fouls is breaking up the continuity of the game and also letting the officials take over at times. its not less free throws, people want less fouls all together. let them play and keep it going. i am personally not into soccer but that is where they thrive, having constant action with limited stops of play.

[iamgine]

Come up with the language to describe what is and isn't a foul and we're good to go.

No extra language. That's the point.

[iamgine]

This is why american contracts are hundreds of pages while european contracts are a couple of pages.

European law assumes people use common sense and the law isn't something to manipulate over a word, but it's the intention agreed upon that is the law.
Exactly.

[Xiao Yao You]

I personally have no problem with rolling the ball. Defense has the option to press him and try to make something of it or just deal with it, either way I don’t think I can recall a game where a team did it over and over and it was a tipping point to win the game. it’s more of a mind game move to get them distracted off their main game rather than the lynch pin of a serious strategy

lmao what free throw rule is that? that sounds horrible

plus the problem with fouls is breaking up the continuity of the game and also letting the officials take over at times. its not less free throws, people want less fouls all together. let them play and keep it going. i am personally not into soccer but that is where they thrive, having constant action with limited stops of play.

Beginning in the 2019-20 season, the NBA G League implemented the One Free Throw Rule. This innovative rule states that one free throw shall be taken in all free throw situations during the first 46 minutes of the game. The free throw is worth the value of total free throws allotted under standard NBA free throw rules. For example, a player shooting a 3-pointer who is fouled and misses the shot takes one free throw worth three points. During the last two minutes of a game and overtime standard NBA free throw rules apply.


it's a horrible rule if you love watching guys shoot free throws I guess. I'll fast forward through free throws myself. Less fouls would be great. Also hate that they take so long on replays. Look at the angles and make a call or keep the original call if it's not clear

[jayfan]

I've said this before and will say it again. One simple change will fix a lot of what sucks about the game right now....


Raise the rims to 10.5 or 11 feet.

[FKAri]

No extra language. That's the point.
If you're not going to bother getting specific then you can't complain about refs and players interpreting it whatever way they want.


I've said this before and will say it again. One simple change will fix a lot of what sucks about the game right now....


Raise the rims to 10.5 or 11 feet.
Bump it up to 40 feet and give all the players broomsticks.

[Xiao Yao You]

Former three-time NBA All-Star Gilbert Arenas has a plan on how to make the NBA game more balanced on both sides of the floor and address the lack of defensive intensity. “Get rid of all Europeans,” Arenas said during the most recent episode of his Gil’s Arena show. The quote was initially met with laughs by his guests, including former NBA All-Star Kenyon Martin who almost spilled his coffee (https://www.eurohoops.net/en/nba-news/1637688/gilbert-arenas-idea-to-fix-nba-defense-get-rid-of-all-europeans/).

– via EuroHoops.net (https://www.eurohoops.net/en/nba-news/1637688/gilbert-arenas-idea-to-fix-nba-defense-get-rid-of-all-europeans/)





Arenas proceeded to elaborate and analyze his thoughts. “You [Martin] just said it,” Arenas continued. “You go to college to learn defense. What college do Europeans go to? They have no athleticism. They have no speed, no jumping ability. They are a liability on defense. They are 150 Euros in the league today… name the top defenders. None! Just Rudy [Gobert] and the Greek Freak. (https://www.eurohoops.net/en/nba-news/1637688/gilbert-arenas-idea-to-fix-nba-defense-get-rid-of-all-europeans/) Other than that, they are offensive players. They aren’t defensive players, right?”

– via EuroHoops.net (https://www.eurohoops.net/en/nba-news/1637688/gilbert-arenas-idea-to-fix-nba-defense-get-rid-of-all-europeans/)



another hot take from Arenas. Best Americans don't spend more than a year in college usually :facepalm

[fsvr54]

We need hand checking back, no defensive three seconds in the paint and no offensive player initiating contact and getting a call.