5 players that will be most affected by the NBA's change in foul-baiting rules

The NBA is determined to clean up the game as offensive trends in the NBA continue. On a zoom call on September 23, Monty McCutchen, the NBANBANBA vice president who overseareferees on the floor, said the NBA will no longer call unnatural fouls - instances where a player intentionally creates physical contact with the defender outside of the game's parameters. If a player attempts to initiate physical contact to cause a foul call, that player will be called for an offensive foul. Many players over the years have been masterful at getting referees to call common fouls and get to the line. There will be no more of those outside of pump fakes or normal cases where the defender is the initiator of contact. With that all being said, who are the offensive players that will be most affected by such a rule change?

#5 Damian Lillard

Dame is one of the lesser culprits, yet is still definitively on this list

I would say that Damian Lillard is not as guilty as the rest of this list in manipulating the rules to draw fouls. He's so crafty in how he separates himself from the defender that he doesn't have to create contact to get to the line when the Portland Trailblazers need a spark. When you're are a great as Dame, of course there will be times where he leans into a defender on either side of him to create contact, and I'd say that this rule change will ultimately make Dame even more effective by challenging him to utilize every bit of his offensive talent. It wouldn't be in the best interest to foul he career 89% free throw shooter, who gets to the line six times per, and while his game won't change, the subtle differences aligning with the rules changes will be most evident in a player like Dame Lillard.

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#4 LeBron James

LeBron James is a master at getting foul calls

I gotta have fun with LeBron James here. Arguably the greatest player the game has ever seen, LeBron is also one of the NBA's biggest floppers the game has ever seen. His 6'8" 250 pound frame has been so dominant over the years that many fouls have not been called on defenders guarding LeBron. His estimated 44 million dollar stake in first place Liverpool of the Premier League, could be a reason why he flops, as the sport of soccer is known for a flop or two, yet LeBron does it so much in the NBA he's become the subject of many memes and the butt of NBA fan jokes. LeBron James is the top superstar in the game that drives all the page views at the mere mention of his name. The NBA is fortunate to have him get to the line so the brand can be spoken by the announcers as he shoots from the charity stripe, yet it will be interesting to see if the rule change will be enforced as the flopper's flopper flops in front of NBA refs.

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#3 James Harden

James Harden is one of the best offensive weapons the game has produced

James Harden is the NBA's version of the consummate genius. He's an offensive maestro that uses every bit of his physical and mental being to score the rock. Whether it be a stepback or a drive to the hole like a fullback protecting the rock, James Harden will light up the boxscore. The 85% career free throw shooter at 9 attempts a game, and in one instance has hit the most free throws without a miss in NBA history at 24. He's one of three active players (LeBron James is 5th; Carmelo Anthony 17th) in the top 20 all-time in free throws made, and is 13th historically with 6,574 makes in 7,659 attempts. It is his acting that gets him to the line that is a very common thing, and James Harden is as funny with it as LeBron James is at times.

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#2 Trae Young

How are you going to get out of this Trae?

Interestingly enough, the fact that Trae Young is so high on this list is a testament to the older players who have circumvented the rules over the last decade. The NBA had to step in and do something as Trae and the next player on this list pile up the free throws. He gets to the line 7 times a game and hits at an 86% clip. It's the bending of the rules when he slides into the lane and drops his signature runners that is the issue. He is the definition of scoring opportunist, and in every game he plays he will get his. Just cut out the flopping Trae because you're better than that.

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#1 Luka Doncic

And the Academy Award goes to Luka Doncic

I had to put Luka Doncic here. For all the folks who think James Harden should be here since he is elder to Doncic, the next time watching a Dallas Mavericks game, it will all become clearer. Trae Young and Luka Doncic are joined at the hip because of their 2018 NBA Draft day swap, yet I bet they didn't think each NBA phenom would top this list. Luka Doncic is an incredibly skilled offensive player. He's able to move about the court at his own strong pace with all of his 6'6" 230 pounds and attempts almost 8 free throws a game -- hitting at 73%. Because his game is so pretty, he will be one of the players threatening the top 20 in free throws faster than most.