Layup Lines: NBA’s heightened ‘transition take foul’ penalty is a great idea…if the refs let it be

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There aren’t many things in sports better than an NBA game played without a lot of whistles and play stoppages. Add in two of the league’s best teams clicking at a high level, and I’m locked in.

Lately, though, those games seem fewer and farther between. Between the annoying replay reviews of flagrant fouls and players flopping to draw personal fouls, it feels like the referees are as much a part of the game as anything — so much more than they need to be.

That’s why news Tuesday that the NBA’s board of governors approved plans to heighten the penalty for the “transition take foul” was great to hear. Beginning next season, a transition take foul will result in one free throw and the ball for the team fouled (except for in the final two minutes of the fourth quarter and overtime).

This will hopefully encourage teams to stop fouling immediately after turnovers — and maybe even attempt to get back on defense. More importantly, it could eliminate one of the frequent ways game flow is interrupted while also increasing exciting fastbreak opportunities.

More chances to see Ja Morant or Anthony Edwards or Zion Williamson one-on-one with the rim … yes, please.

But I must caution, there is one potential pitfall to this rule. The NBA says the transition take foul doesn’t apply if the defender is making a legitimate play on the ball. But as we know, take fouls happen quickly, sometimes immediately after someone gains possession. If referees aren’t able to make that determination in real time — something they haven’t been able to do with flagrant fouls — it could lead to more instant replays instead fastbreaks. That would turn what should be a positive into a negative.

For our sake, let’s hope the referees don’t get this one wrong too.

The Tip-Off

Some NBA goodness from around the USA TODAY Sports network.

The No. 4 pick in this year’s draft to the Sacramento Kings, Keegan Murray has been absolutely going off in Summer League. He’s scored at least 20 points in five of six games this summer. The other 13 lottery picks have six such games combined!

My guy Bryan Kalbrosky has more on how Murray is using this summer to show he’s a serious Rookie of the Year contender.

“I’m particularly encouraged by Murray because of the self-creation we have seen from him as a shooter. Murray predominantly shot off the catch while in college, but like Holmgren, we have seen him use the bounce more often as a pro.

Murray has connected on 9 jump shots off the dribble, per Synergy, compared to 13 through all of last season. This is how he is finishing 24.1 percent of his offensive possessions during Summer League, nearly triple his rate as a sophomore at Iowa.

All of that, of course, is without mentioning his defensive playmaking and athleticism.”