In April, I posted about Duke’s flopping camp, mostly as a joke, though we all know that Duke is among the most egregious flopping schools. The NBA has decided to institute a fine for “the most egregious flops,” according to their VP of Basketball Operations Stu Jackson. I think this is a brilliant idea in theory, but I question its execution.

We don’t know as of yet how much the fine will be. As of now, the fine for a technical foul for unsportsmanlike conduct is only $100. Surely a flopping fine would be lower than this? And if this is the case, what’s the point? Even if it’s comparable to unsportsmanlike conduct, is $100 really going to deter these players from flopping? This guy, at least, is dubious.

I think the smarter, more logical approach is to start issuing technicals for egregious or consistent floppers. This, of course, will also result on a fine against the individual player, but it also means that the team as a whole suffers in that game. And it’s when the team suffers that we’ll begin seeing results.

Ugh, since when did I begin following anything about the NBA, much less posting about it? In my defense, what makes me most excited about the NBA’s action against floppers (whether or not it’ll actually work) is the potential that (a) this flows down to the college ball and (b) it results in Duke’s further downfall.