Technical Foul Free Throw For Flopping - The NBA Will Start Penalizing Players During The Summer League

The NBA is set to experiment with a new in-game penalty for flopping during the summer league, as announced by the league on Tuesday.

Referees will be tasked with determining flopping incidents during the game. A flop will result in the opposing team being awarded one free throw and possession of the ball. The player responsible for the flop will receive an unsportsmanlike technical foul, which will not count towards personal fouls or lead to an ejection.

Unlike previous rules, officials will not be required to interrupt live play to call a flopping violation.

NBA Board of Governors will vote on two changes for the 2023-24 season, per @ShamsCharania

- Technical foul free throw for a flop

- A second coach's challenge, if first challenge is successful pic.twitter.com/ciGtDTPQ2C

— Bleacher Report (@BleacherReport) June 30, 2023

Back in 2012, the NBA introduced an anti-flopping rule that initially issued warnings, followed by escalating fines for subsequent violations. However, there was no in-game penalty associated with the rule, and enforcement has been sporadic since its implementation a decade ago.

The NBA's 2012 definition of a flop refers to it as "an attempt to either deceive referees into calling unwarranted fouls or mislead fans into believing that referees missed a foul call by exaggerating the impact of contact with an opposing player."

Later this month, the NBA's board of governors will convene to vote on any potential rule changes for the upcoming 2023-24 season, including the proposed penalty for flopping.