NBA Summer League games could end a bit quicker this year as the league introduces a new “one free throw rule” aimed at accelerating game flow.
The NBA confirmed it will use this experimental regulation for its tournaments this month across Salt Lake City, Northern California and Las Vegas.
Under the new format, any foul that would ordinarily lead to one, two, or three free throws will now be condensed into a single attempt. The solitary shot will carry the cumulative point value of the original free throw allocation.
The rule has been in use within the G League since the 2019-20 season.
However, the Summer League rule is not universally applied; conventional free-throw procedures – such as two shots for a two-shot foul – will remain in effect during the final two minutes of the fourth quarter and throughout any overtime periods.
While its potential adoption in regular NBA games remains uncertain, the Summer League frequently serves as a testing ground for prospective rule modifications. Both the G League and Summer League have historically functioned as laboratories for the league, trialling innovations before their potential integration into the NBA.
Notable examples that originated in these developmental leagues include the coaches’ challenge, the 14-second shot clock reset following offensive rebounds, and the single free-throw award for a ‘transition take foul’ – a deliberate foul committed to prevent an opponent’s fast break.
Another tweak to summer games
The league also revealed Thursday that the “connected basketball” will be part of summer league.
The ball used this summer will have “an embedded sensor that detects contact with the ball,” the league said. It isn’t noticeable and doesn’t change the way the ball feels and plays, and the weight difference is minute at best.
The reason behind it: Collecting data to “support future officiating applications, such as last-touch out-of-bounds calls,” the league said.
Summer League schedules
Summer League play begins Friday with the start of the California Classic, which will be hosted by the Golden State Warriors and Sacramento Kings — with games in San Francisco and Sacramento through Monday. Golden State, Miami, San Antonio and the Los Angeles Lakers will play in San Francisco; a second Golden State team, plus Sacramento, Brooklyn and Milwaukee will play in Sacramento.
The Salt Lake City Summer League — featuring Utah, Atlanta, Memphis and Oklahoma City — will have games on Saturday, Monday and Tuesday. No. 2 draft pick Darryn Peterson of the Jazz and No. 3 pick Cameron Boozer of Memphis are on the rosters for that event.
And the official NBA Summer League, with all 30 teams playing at least five games, runs from July 9 through July 19 in Las Vegas. No. 1 pick AJ Dybantsa is scheduled to make his summer debut on July 9 when Washington takes on Utah — setting up a possible No. 1 vs. No. 2 pick matchup if Peterson plays in that game.
