NBA approves two rule changes for ’23-24 season

LAS VEGAS — The NBA’s board of governors approved two rule changes that will go into effect next season — a second coach’s challenge if the first one is successful and an in-game flopping penalty — at its annual meeting during the NBA 2K24 Summer League on Tuesday.

Both rule changes had been unanimously recommended to the board of governors by the league’s competition committee — a group made up of players, union representatives, coaches, governors, executives and referees — to be implemented next season.

Coaches having access to a second challenge is something that teams — and coaches, in particular — have been pushing for years. Now, if a team gets a challenge correct earlier in a game, it will have a chance for a second one later in a contest.

But while teams will still retain the first timeout they have to use to call for the initial challenge, they will not get their timeout back for their second challenge — even if it is successful.

Meanwhile, there will be a new rule implemented to try to curb instances of flopping in games. Now, when a referee calls a flop, there will be a non-unsportsmanlike technical foul called on the offending players’ team, and the opposing team will get a free throw. Referees also won’t have to stop play to call a flop, as they can wait until the next stop in live action, if needed, to make the call.

Possession will not change, however, and flopping violations can’t be directly reviewed by a coach’s challenge. They can, however, be added to a call during a review of a different play.

The league’s preexisting postgame flop violation structure will stay in place, with the financial penalty having been changed to mirror that of technical fouls, with fines beginning at $2,000 and increasing for each repeated offense.

Flops called during games, however, will just result in a free throw for the other team.

The flopping rule change will be utilized on a one-year trial basis.