Examining the Effects of the NBA’s Biggest Rules Changes

It’s not a part of the off-season most casual basketball fans pay attention to, but the annual rite of NBA rules changes can have significant effects on the game. This year, the major adjustments are designed around improving the on-court product, and, in the case of timeouts and intermissions, standardizing things league-wide.

Fewer timeouts + uniform intermissions = Better flow and excitement

Last season, teams had 18 total timeouts. Starting next year, that’s cut down to 14,including just two in the final three minutes as opposed to three in the final two minutes. There’s also two mandatory official timeouts per period, and the halftime intermission will now start immediately at the buzzer of the second quarter, and run a set 15 minutes League-wide (Previously, the start of the intermission period could vary from arena to arena, game to game). Furthermore, timeouts are now changed from 90 second full timeouts and 60 second misnamed 20 second timeouts to 75 seconds each timeout, thereby entirely eliminating the concept of different timeouts.

Altogether, these changes mean a faster, improved game flow, particularly in the final two minutes, which traditionally has been an unwelcome marathon that felt as long as the rest of the game put together. Those rule adjustments are reminiscent of a few years ago, when baseball faced similar complaints about game length and tweaked the rules. It was successful in baseball’s case, and should be so in hoops, which last season averaged two hours and 15 minutes per contest (which itself was an improvement over the year before).

 Conditioning, already an important aspect of athletics, will become even more crucial. Fewer breaks means being in peak physical endurance will be more vital than ever. Likewise, coaches will have to strategize the end-game more carefully than before, due to fewer opportunities to make substitutions and draw up plays to secure a win. Thus, the wheat will separate from the chaff more distinctly than before.

The earlier trade deadline means a genuine All-Star Break

Ah, the thrilling days of the NBA trade deadline – that gap in between the All-Star festivities and the resumption of basketball proper. We’re glued to our media devices, eagerly devouring and debating the hottest rumors and speculation. It was perfectly placed in the basketball calendar, both from a fan and media perspective, and from the vantage point of front offices, who could concentrate on trade talks during that frenzied, delightful window. Now that’s gone, as the deadline has been moved up to 10 days before the break. Where now the talk of Paul George to the Lakers before summer? Where now the entertainment of Demarcus Cousins finding out about his trade during a press conference? The loss makes one elegiac as Tolkien.

 Why then, the change? Simply put, the coaches. The NBA registered numerous complaints that it was too short a time frame to get new players up to speed before the second half of the season started. Now, with the earlier date, that means more games with the new team, a longer period to get acclimated, and a natural break on All-Star weekend to move families, get adjusted to the city, etc. From that standpoint, it’s a sound decision.

 However, it also means that teams will have to decide sooner whether they’re buying or selling, and puts more pressure on those franchises on the bubble, for whom those extra days and games can make a difference not only what their stance will be, but whether a move gets made at all. I do think we’ll see quieter trade deadlines as a result, and the season will have lost a little of its charm and excitement as a result.

Earlier season start = better basketball

Not only is the trade deadline moving up, but the start of the season, to October 17th. In addition, preseason games will be cut by approximately a third. This not only means basketball sooner, but will cut down on the number of back to back games and the awkwardness of four games in five nights. That means fresher players, potentially fewer injuries, and overall higher quality basketball throughout the entire season. These are all excellent things and should, combined with the timeouts changes, make for a better court product this year than in previous seasons.