The NBA has finally done it. Finally, the Hack-a-Shaq strategy has been done away with… sort of.

After the league promised to look into ways to stop teams from exploiting a rule that punishes poor free throw shooting players, a solution has been brought forth.

The NBA board of governors have come to a few rule changes that you can expect to see next season. The the constant hacking of a player off of the ball will now result in different consequences.

Although fouling off of the ball is not eradicated completely, the exploitation of it should eventually slow down. This is a solution the NBA made to be amendable for both sides.

Tuesday, Commissioner Adam Silver laid out what the new adjustments were as listed below:

  • The rule for away-from-the-play fouls made in the final two minutes of the fourth quarter or overtime resulting in free throws will now be expanded to the last two minutes of all quarters.
  • Defensive fouls on inbounds plays will be treated the same as any away-from-the-play foul.
  • The blatant fouling strategy of jumping on an opposing player's back will presumptively be called a flagrant foul immediately. Up until now, such plays were subject to flagrant calls but were not automatic.

Commissioner Silver also said these changes should cut the number of these plays in half.

We'll reduce roughly 45 percent of the incidents.

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The Hack-a-Shaq exploit is completely against what the NBA has been trying to do, which is speeding the game up. They want it faster, with increased scoring and excitement.

Poor free throw shooters will still need to work on their performance from the charity stripe, but teams exploiting their weakness won't be able to slow the game down significantly enough to raise more concerns in the league office. At least, for now.

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