Flopping in the NBA Should Not Be Penalized, but Rather Ignored

The NBA and its personnel will stop at nothing to get rid of flopping from the game of basketball, as proven by the adaptation of the new anti-flopping rule that will be introduced into the rulebook for the upcoming 2012-13 NBA season.

If the rule holds up (according to Ken Berger of CBSSports.com, the NBAPA will file a grievance and an unfair labor practice charge with the National Labor Relations Board), it will make a mockery of the game of basketball.

I say this because as annoying as the flops are and as childish as the flopping players may seem, the NBA is forgetting to realize one thing: 

Flopping is just a part of the game.

OK, now, before anyone jumps all over me for that comment, let me explain my reasoning.

When an NBA player falls to the floor because he was "hit" with an elbow from a member from the opposing team, he is hurting nobody except for himself and, more importantly, his team.

He is basically taking himself out of the game because instead of being up and either guarding his man (if the flopping player's team is on defense) or looking for an open pass (if the flopping player's team is on offense), he is on the floor pretending he just got hurt.

A flopping player is basically taking a chance that the player who "hit" him will get called for a foul. Flopping could be added to a long list of chances that NBA players take.

For example, when a player leaves his defender and steps into the passing lane to attempt a steal, he's taking the chance that he will either catch or tip the ball, because if he doesn't, someone on the opposing team will be left open.

When a defender jumps to block a shot, he is taking a risk and hoping that the opponent he is guarding will shoot the ball, because if he doesn't, that opponent will either go around him or force a foul.

Heck, even something as simple as a player taking a jump shot is a risk, because that player is counting on the ball going into the hoop, knowing that there is a chance the ball won't go in and that he just failed at his attempt to score a couple of points.

Aside from that point, another main argument to support flopping in the NBA is that it's not the player's fault when the referee is tricked by his "acting" maneuver. After all, it's the referees who are paid to make all the right calls to the best of their knowledge.

If the NBA is going to fine players for flopping, they might as well fine players when they don't admit to the ball going out of bounds off them or when they travel and don't admit to it because the referee didn't see it.

If the NBA is going to cover up a referee's mistake when it comes to flopping, they might as well cover up every other violation they do not catch.

The bottom line is that a player should not be penalized for falling to the floor untouched.

It is not hurting the integrity of the game one bit.

If anything, it's hurting the integrity of the individual who flopped because it's him that many lose respect for.

The only way to truly eliminate flopping from the game of basketball is to completely ignore it. The NBA should stress to its referees to pay close attention to flopping and not call anything that looks remotely close to a flop.

Eventually, the players will get frustrated with the fact that fouls aren't being called when they flop and will realize that their acting jobs are just causing their team possessions or are allowing their opponents to score.

That will teach them quickly to stop.