In the same week that James Harden requested a trade, the NBA experimented with a new penalty kick.
In the Summer League, the NBA will try a new rule where players can be penalized for failure. Players who rub too much, fall untouched, or otherwise fumble can be penalized with a free throw. It is similar to a penalty kick for a technical foul, only the offense will not count in the same way – a player will not be sent off for two fouls, for example.
In what may or may not be a coincidence, the Announcing the NBA The rule will be tested less than a week after Harden picks up his 2023-24 contract so the 76ers can seeking to trade. Harden is a former MVP and 10-time All-Star, but he’s also one of the players hit hardest by the new penalty shootout.
Harden hasn’t been above selling little contacts – or no contacts at all – to officials over the years. From 2014-20, Harden averaged over 10 free throw attempts per game, peaking at 11.8 per game in 2019-20, when The Beard won its third straight scoring title.
Now the new rule could remove some of Harden’s value. Not only did the officials crack down on a huge point source for Harden, but the flops could now mean points for the other team.
Harden isn’t the only actor in the NBA — Dennis Schroeder received a two-year, $25 million deal after a flop-filled playoff with the Lakers.
But Harden is the most famous flopper, so he might have a target on his back. Even corrupt Lakers dealer Austin Reeves admitted that he tutored Harden and Trae Young from Atlanta to learn how to sell contact.
If you exclude Harden’s volatile powers, he might not be that attractive anymore at $36 million a year. This may be the reason why Philadelphia’s efforts to trade Harden have so far failed.