NBA Summer League to Implement ‘One Free Throw Rule’

The NBA will introduce a significant change during this year’s Summer League. The “one free throw rule” will be applied at events in Salt Lake City, Northern California, and Las Vegas this month. This rule has been part of the G League since the 2019-20 season to enhance the pace of play.

Implementation Details

This rule allows only one free throw for fouls, replacing the usual one, two, or three free throws. The single attempt will be valued at the same points as the free throws it replaces. The rule, however, won’t apply during the last two minutes of the fourth quarter and any overtime periods, where normal free-throw rules will apply.

In recent years, the Summer League has tested potential NBA rule changes. The implementation of the coach’s challenge, resetting the 24-second shot clock to 14 seconds after offensive rebounds, and the one-shot penalty for a transition take foul all began in developmental leagues before reaching the NBA. These rules serve as examples of successful transitions from trial phases to official adoption.

Other Experimental Aspects

Additionally, the G League regularly features different game dynamics. These include 10-minute quarters, a format supported by NBA Commissioner Adam Silver. The league also experimented with 11-minute quarters during a preseason game, and before the “bubble” in 2020, exhibition games adopted the 10-minute quarters approach.

The NBA Summer League starts on July 9. It will serve as a platform to assess the potential of incorporating this new rule into regular NBA games in the future.