Cutting down on timeouts should be step in right direction for NBA
Anyone inclined to watch the Chicago Bulls' rebuilding project in action next season may get to spend less time doing so.
The NBA on Wednesday approved some new rules limiting the number of timeouts, both during the course of the game and in the final three minutes. These changes could lead to more exciting finishes … in theory, anyway.
Here's the breakdown: The maximum number of timeouts per game will drop from 18 to 14. Each quarter will still have a pair of mandatory timeouts and each team gets seven timeouts to use during the contest.
Timeouts during the final three minutes will be limited to two per team. This should result in more free-flowing, late-game action, which will benefit the television viewer especially.
Nothing spoils the drama of a tense basketball finish more than two minutes of commercials, unless it's a five-minute replay delay. At least fans sitting in the stands have T-shirts to try to catch during the timeouts.
There will be no more full and 20-second timeouts. All timeouts are the same: 75 seconds long.
Here are a couple of ways these new guidelines could backfire: Teams are limited to using four timeouts in the fourth quarter but just two in the last three minutes. That could prompt coaches to use two timeouts before the game reaches the three-minute mark; which maybe they wouldn't use if they could be saved. Now it's use them or lose them.
Also, a lack of timeouts actually can diminish late-game drama. One of the most successful rules adopted by the NBA many years ago was allowing teams to advance the ball to half-court after a timeout.
If one team hits a go-ahead jumper with 2.5 seconds on the clock, the other team could use a timeout, advance the ball to half-court and have a reasonable chance to score. If a team uses its two late-game timeouts and has to go the length of the floor in 2.5 seconds, the game is pretty much over.
Obviously, most coaches will try to conserve those timeouts until the very end, which should deliver a more entertaining final three minutes, anyway. Timeouts in overtime periods are now reduced from three to two.
There are a few more changes that will have a big impact on the NBA season.
First of all, the trade deadline will be moved forward two weeks. Now it will be 10 days before the All-Star Game, instead of the Thursday after the star-studded exhibition.
This shouldn't result in any greater or fewer numbers of trades. If a team wants to make a move, it can get things done in early February just as easily as late February.
In the case of the Bulls, this change could hasten the departure of Dwyane Wade. There has been no public comment from the Bulls on this situation, but a likely scenario is they'll ask Wade to play through the trade deadline and wait to see if there are any deals to be made. Once the deadline passes, they'll grant him a release or buyout and he can join a playoff contender if he wants.
Commissioner Adam Silver mentioned another significant change, according to multiple reports, although this one hasn't been made official. Silver said the regular season will begin Oct. 17, roughly two weeks earlier than normal. The season is expected to reach its usual mid-April conclusion.
The point of this is to stretch out the schedule, limiting the number of back-to-back games and eliminating the practice of playing four in five nights. That will be a winning proposition if it means teams will rest their star players less frequently. If someone buys a ticket to watch Russell Westbrook or Steph Curry's only visit of the season, it's not fair to the fan if those players decide to take the night off.
The Bulls essentially are taking next season off. They're hoping for some quality player development, but the goal is to get a high lottery pick, not make the playoffs.
So plenty of fans might be buying tickets based on which stars are visiting town with the opposing team.
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