I thought Stern wanted to increase scoring.

A few years ago, I recall there being a concern about the physical nature of games – thus prompting the instructions to officials to allow for a more free-flowing brand of basketball.  The idea was to increase scoring, decrease unnecessary physical contact, and enable the fans to have a more pleasurable experience at the arena.

If that’s the case, somebody please tell NBA Commissioner David Stern that he is about to contradict those efforts in a big, big way.  Beginning this season, the NBA Developmental League (A.K.A.  “the D-League”) will be incorporating the use of FIBA’s international rules for goaltending.

Every year that the United States competes on the world basketball stage, there’s always a reference to the difference of goaltending rules in FIBA, as compared with those in the NBA.  For those unfamiliar with the FIBA rules, they allow a player to knock the ball away from the basket when it is on the rim.  That is contradictory to the NBA (and traditional American basketball) rules, which prohibit a player from touching the basketball when it is on its downward path toward the hoop.  NBA rules also generally outlaw players from touching the ball when it is in the cylindrical area above the basket.

The FIBA rules will be implemented into the D-League, which is casually referred to as a ‘testing-ground’ for the NBA.  In other words, if nothing is adversely affected, we can expect to see this adopted in the NBA in the near future.

This development is not surprising, consdiering Stern has always had his visions of the NBA rooted in the areas of global expansion.  Such a rules change will position his organization to become more streamlined with the regulations of other basketball clubs around the world.

While Stern may think this move is for the greater good of the league, I think it’s a disaster waiting to happen.  Here are the reasons why:

1.  Fans are not excited by watching guys like Tyson Chandler play goalie.

There may be a hint of sarcasm here…but if that ball doesn’t hit all net, the NBA has loads of athletes who have the explosive qualifications to keep the scoreboard in the 70′s on a nightly basis.

Samuel Dalembert is the perfect example of a player whose value would increase tremendously with the NBA's adoption of FIBA goaltending rules.

2.  When are full zone defenses going to be commonplace in the NBA?

Since Stern is halfway home with bringing the new goaltending rule into the NBA, what other international trademarks are going to follow?  Some teams have thrown occasional zones into their defensive playbooks, but is that what people really want to see?  The experience of an NBA game is supposed to be different from that of a college game.  Contrary to common belief, handicapping them in such a way makes it seems as if the NBA’s employees are not the best in the world.

3.  What players become the most valuable?

Sure there are players with the supreme athletic ability to do it all on the floor…players like LeBron James, Josh Smith, Rudy Gay…guys who could take the ball off of the rim just as easily as they could swish a three-point shot.  But how much more valuable do one-dimensional players like Chandler, Tyrus Thomas and Emeka Okafor become?  Big men are already held to a lesser standard when it comes to versatility, but things could get really ridiculous now.         

4.  Unlike the other basketball leagues, the NBA is a league of athletic marvels.

Think about it.  You’d probably have a pretty good shot at naming all of the NBA players who cannot dunk.  It seems like everyone in the NBA – and American colleges – can rock the rim with authority.  The type of athleticism that exists in today’s game could cause players to abuse the rules to no end.  The freakish explosion and quick-leaping ability of NBAers would cause field-goal percentages to plummet across the league.

5.  The FIBA rules will bring about an increase in physicality.

Finally, the inclusion of the new rule set will come full circle to cause an increase in physical contact.  After witnessing balls that bounce around the cylinder get snatched off by the opposition, players will have no choice but to attack the basket in a more aggressive fashion.  The result should be more free throw attempts, more game stoppage, and less points on the board.

The price to pay for globalization will be a big one, and I hope that Stern is able to foot the bill.

T Lamont is the owner, administrator and author of all content for Ball or Nuthin\'. Feel free to contact T Lamont with a question or comment at ballornuthin@gmail.com.  All created Ball or Nuthin' content is the sole property of T Lamont. Read more from this author