The NBA's Board of Governors are reportedly mulling three potential rule changes, including a new shot clock rule that will reset the timer to 14 seconds following an offensive rebound, rather than the traditional 24 seconds.
ESPN's Adrian Wojnarowski reports that the committee is "likely" to pass the rule changes at their meetings on September 20 & 21 before going to the teams for approval. Once that happens, two-thirds of the owners will need to approve the shot clock rule before it is officially passed. The NBA experimented with the proposed shot clock rule during the summer league and 2017-18 G League season, and it is something that the WNBA adopted in 2016.
Additionally, the Board of Governors is requesting a simplification of the clear-path foul rule and an expanded definition of a “hostile act." Wojnarowski notes that under the changes to the clear path rule, a clear path to the basket would be in play in these three instances:
• "A personal foul is committed on any offensive player during his team's transition scoring opportunity."
• "When the foul occurs, the ball is ahead of the tip of the circle in the backcourt, no defensive is ahead of the offensive player with the scoring opportunity and that offensive player is in control of the ball or a pass to him has been released."
• "The defensive foul deprives the offensive team of a transition scoring opportunity."
According to Yahoo Sports' Shams Charania, the NBA rulebook currently states; altercations between players that are “not part of a normal basketball play” or in which a player “intentionally or recklessly harms or attempts to harm another player” are considered hostile acts.