As the NBA returns for the 2022-23 season, the league is hoping one pesky recurring element from last year won't be coming back: the take foul.
After increasing numbers of intentional fouls to prevent fast-break opportunities reached critical mass in 2021-22, the NBA took corrective action by importing a version of the transition take foul rule used in the G League since 2018-19.
Now, if a defender is judged to have prevented a transition opportunity without making a legitimate basketball play, his opponents will get a free throw (taken by any of the five players on the court) and possession. League officials believe it will make take fouls a thing of the past and allow NBA players' skill to shine in the open court.
"We want an environment for them to show that best, and we think this new rule gets us more transition opportunities," said Monty McCutchen, the league's senior vice president and head of referee development and training.
"Which, oddly enough, most people view as an offensive issue, but some of our best, most historical plays are defensive transition plays. As such, we want that whole environment of transition basketball to be back into the NBA game, and we think this rule helps us get there."
Using play-by-play data from the NBA and the G League, let's take a look at how implementing the rule worked in the developmental league to help us understand what impact this rule might have this NBA season.