The NBA announced Thursday that the “one free throw rule” will be implemented at this month’s Summer Leagues in Salt Lake City, Northern California, and Las Vegas.
The rule is intended to speed up play by replacing any foul that would result in one, two, or three free throws with a single free throw worth the same number of points. The G League has used this rule since 2019-20.
The rule will not apply during the final two minutes of the fourth quarter or in overtime. Instead, during these times, standard free-throw procedures will be used.
It is not yet determined if the one-free-throw rule will be adopted in NBA games. However, the Summer League often serves as a testing ground for future changes.
In recent years, the G League and Summer League have tested potential rule changes before NBA adoption. Examples include the coaches’ challenge, resetting the 24-second shot clock to 14 seconds after offensive rebounds, and awarding one shot for a transition take foul, which occurs when a defender intentionally fouls to stop a transition opportunity.
The league also announced that the “connected basketball” will be used during the Summer League.
The ball will feature an embedded sensor that detects contact. The league states the sensor is unnoticeable and does not affect the ball’s feel or performance. In addition, any weight difference is minimal.
The purpose is to collect data to “support future officiating applications, such as last-touch out-of-bounds calls,” according to the league.
The official NBA Summer League, featuring all 30 teams playing at least five games each, will be held July 9 to 19 in Las Vegas. No. 1 pick AJ Dybantsa is set to debut on July 9 when Washington faces Utah, potentially creating a No. 1 vs. No. 2 pick matchup if Peterson participates.
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Eric Butler is a Contributor for Dice City Sports. You can follow him on Instagram and X via @ReportandOpine
