NEW YORK — The NBA is warning players to stop the flop. If not, it could cost them. The league will penalize the floppers this season, fining players for repeated violations of an act a league official said Wednesday has “no place in our game.” Those exaggerated falls to the floor may fool the referees and fans during the game, but officials at league headquarters plan to take a look for themselves afterward. Players will get a warning the first time, then be fined $5,000 for a second violation. The fines increase to $10,000 for a third offense, $15,000 for a fourth and $30,000 the fifth time. Six or more could lead to a suspension. “Flops have no place in our game — they either fool referees into calling undeserved fouls or fool fans into thinking the referees missed a foul call,” vice president of basketball operations Stu Jackson said in a statement. “Accordingly, both the Board of Governors and the competition committee felt strongly that any player who the league determines, following video review, to have committed a flop should — after a warning — be given an automatic penalty.” Players cautioned that it would be difficult to completely eliminate flopping, but welcomed the attempt to try. “It's good. Guys can't be flopping and get away with anymore,” Oklahoma City guard James Harden said. “It was bound to happen at some point. Obviously, the league got fed up with it and they put it in. I'm happy they did.” The NBA said flopping will be defined as “any physical act that appears to have been intended to cause the referees to call a foul on another player.” “The primary factor in determining whether a player committed a flop is whether his physical reaction to contact with another player is inconsistent with what would reasonably be expected given the force or direction of the contact,” the league said. Commissioner David Stern has long sought to end flopping, believing it tricks the referees. But the league determined it would be too difficult for refs to make the call on the floor, preferring instead to leave it to league office reviews. Jackson's department already reviews flagrant foul penalties to determine if they should be upgraded or downgraded. “I'm all on board for it,” Heat coach Erik Spoelstra said. “I think it needs to be addressed. I think the steps they're taking right now, I think will benefit the game. I do. It remains to be seen if it truly has an impact. But I think it's a step in the right direction. “It's not good for the game; nobody likes the flop. A majority of coaches don't like the flop, particularly if you're trying to build a solid defense.” Rasheed Wallace raged against it for years, picking up quite of a few of his 308 technical fouls for arguing that he was called for a foul because a player flopped. After ending a two-year retirement to join the New York Knicks, he said certain unnamed players were going to be in trouble and agreed penalties needed to be enforced. The National Basketball Players Association (NBPA) plans to file a grievance and unfair labor practice charge after the league announced an anti-flopping rule in a bid to curb the number of simulated fouls. “The NBA is not permitted to unilaterally impose new economic discipline against the players without first bargaining with the union,” NBPA Executive Director Billy Hunter said in a statement. “We believe that any monetary penalty for an act of this type is inappropriate and without precedent in our sport or any other sport.” NBA going to London The NBA is coming back to London with a regular-season game between the Detroit Pistons and New York Knicks in January. The NBA said the Pistons and Knicks will play on Jan. 17 at the O2 Arena, the site of this year's Olympic gold-medal game. The Toronto Raptors and New Jersey Nets played a pair of regular-season games at the same venue in March 2011, but the NBA skipped London on its preseason tour this year. — Agencies
