“So Damn Stupid”: Bulls Legend Calls Out Adam Silver’s New One-Free Throw Rule in The NBA

Free throws have been an integral part of basketball since the game was invented by Dr. James Naismith in the late 1800s. The way free throws work when the three-point shot was introduced in 1961 is that players took one shot if their initial field goal went in during a foul call. Now, if a two-point shot didn't go in while getting fouled, players need to take two free throws. As for getting fouled in a missed three-point attempt, players take three free throws.

The free-throw rules have been a standard in the NBA since the 1979-80 season. However, it appears that league commissioner Adam Silver intends to change that rule soon. According to several reports, Silver will experiment with a new one free throw rule in the upcoming NBA Summer League. Chicago Bulls legend Ron Harper had some strong words to say about the new rule.

"So damn stupid," Harper wrote on X.

The way the one free throw rule works is that every trip to the charity stripe would now require a player to take one foul shot only. If, for example, a player got hacked during a two-point attempt, sinking one free throw will result in two points. A similar logic will be followed for three-point shots; one free throw will be equivalent to three points.

While the nature of this new rule seems unrewarding, Commissioner Silver has a sensible reason for proposing the idea. Silver noticed how games take longer than they should, especially towards the end, due to a plethora of free throws. The game has become boring to watch, and the commissioner would like to speed up the bulk of the game.

It's worth noting that the traditional free-throw rules will only apply to the final two minutes of the fourth quarter. Anything before that time will still follow the one free-throw rule. If the game were sent to overtime, then the traditional free-throw rule would be active for the entirety of the period.

Adam Silver to Test Basketball Tracking Sensors During NBA Summer League

It appears that the upcoming NBA Summer League is set to be a lab testing area for the league. With the announcement of the one free throw rule, NBA Commissioner Adam Silver also intends to plant official game balls with tracking sensors.

The experiment is called 'Connected Basketball'. The purpose of this experiment is to see if it will improve officiating accuracy. Players and coaching staff often complain of bad calls made by referees. The tracking sensors should be able to change that dilemma.

Tracking sensors will be embedded inside the game balls to deliver instant, automated data on last-touch out-of-bounds disputes. However, given that the technology is brand new, we can't say for sure if it'll be as accurate as the league hopes it to be.