Adam Silver’s NBA has once again decided to fix something that was not broken and they are using the Summer League as its laboratory.
League officials will test a one free-throw rule during the 2026 NBA Summer League, an experimental change designed to reduce game interruptions while maintaining the same scoring value for shooting fouls.
Under the proposed rule, players will take just one free throw regardless of whether the foul would normally result in one, two, or three attempts. The lone free throw will simply be worth the total number of points available.
For example:
- A foul that normally awards two free throws will become one shot worth two points.
- A foul on a made or attempted three-pointer that typically results in three free throws will instead become one shot worth three points.
- Standard one-shot situations will remain unchanged.
The objective is simple: keep the game moving.
Free throws have long been one of the biggest interruptions to the flow of NBA games, and league officials have consistently looked for ways to improve pace without fundamentally altering the game’s competitive balance. By replacing multiple trips to the stripe with a single attempt, the NBA hopes to trim unnecessary stoppages while preserving the reward for drawing fouls.
Summer League has become the NBA’s preferred testing ground for potential rule changes, allowing the league to evaluate new ideas before considering implementation at the G League or NBA level.
Whether this experiment eventually reaches the regular season will depend on feedback from players, coaches, officials, and fans throughout the Summer League.
One thing is certain: all eyes will be on Las Vegas to see whether this change improves the game—or sparks even more debate.
What Do You Think?
Would you support the NBA adopting the one free-throw rule during the regular season?
- 👍 Yes, it speeds up the game.
- 👎 No, leave free throws alone.
- 🤔 Test it longer before making a decision.
