NBA to focus on eliminating 'manipulated' shooting fouls

A report surfaced in June that the NBA wanted to eliminate players using unnatural and unusual shooting motions to draw fouls, with stars such as Brooklyn Nets guard James Harden and Trae Young of the Atlanta Hawks specifically mentioned as guilty parties. 

Per Tim Bontemps of ESPN, individuals such as Harden and Young should focus on removing those features from their games. 

Monty McCutchen, NBA senior vice president, head of referee development and training, said during a Thursday Zoom call that the Association will make officiating changes meant to punish shooters who unnaturally engage with defenders in attempts to draw fouls. 

"We want basketball to be played, not manipulated," McCutchen explained, according to Bontemps. McCutchen continued that "NBA referees are no longer in the business of what would have happened" regarding such in-game moments. 

Notably, the NBA will allow referees to call offensive fouls on shooters who abnormally launch themselves directly into defenders or who awkwardly initiate contact using a leg and/or an arm. McCutchen did, however, say shooters who pump-fake defenders into leaping can still earn fouls as long as their shooting motions are considered "normal."

The NFL's crackdown on taunting quickly became one of the most controversial aspects of its season. Much like with that league, NBA players will be forced to adjust to this modification.