This year’s NBA Summer League will feature a significant rule test. The “one free throw rule” will be implemented at the Summer League events in Salt Lake City, Northern California, and Las Vegas. This rule aims to quicken the pace of the game.
Since the 2019-20 season, the G League has adopted this rule. It allows for a single free-throw attempt instead of multiple shots when a foul occurs. The sole attempt carries the value of all the free throws it substitutes.
The rule won’t apply throughout the entire game. Traditional free-throw shooting rules will remain in effect during the last two minutes of the fourth quarter and any overtime periods.
The NBA often uses the Summer League to trial potential changes similar to how minor leagues have done in baseball. Previous innovations tested here include the coach’s challenge and modifications to the shot clock rules, among others.
The G League already plays with 10-minute quarters, a concept NBA Commissioner Adam Silver has supported. The NBA explored shorter quarters with 11-minute trials once and adopted 10-minute quarters in certain conditions during the 2020 “bubble.” The Summer League starts on July 9.