Video: NBA warns Sixers' Tony Wroten for flopping vs. Raptors
The NBA announced Monday that Sixers guard Tony Wroten has been issued a warning for flopping.
Wroten's flop occurred with a little less than eight minutes remaining in the first quarter of Philadelphia's 108-100 road loss to Toronto on Dec. 13. Wroten pulled up for a three-pointer at the top of the key, and Terrence Ross came from the left angle to contest the shot, which wound up going in. Following his release, Wroten launched himself to the ground in an attempt to draw a four-point play opportunity. Replays seemed to indicate that Ross was guilty of some light light contact to Wroten's hand after the shot, but no foul was called on the play.
This type of flop was specifically called out in the NBA’s official video introducing its flopping policy. In the video, Heat guard Dwyane Wade was called out for exaggerating contact to his leg during his jump shot.
“After releasing the jump shot, the shooter, No. 3 in the white uniform, extends his right leg attempting to draw a defensive foul,” the video’s narrator explains. “While there is marginal contact on the play, the flail and spin to the floor by the offensive player is an overembellishment and it’s inconsistent with marginal contact.”
RELATED: The 10 most ridiculous flops of the 2012-13 season
Wroten becomes the 14th player warned by the league for flopping this season, joining Wizards guard John Wall, Timberwolves forwards Kevin Love and Corey Brewer, Spurs guard Patty Mills, Bucks center Zaza Pachulia, Rockets guard James Harden, Knicks guard Iman Shumpert, Clippers guard Chris Paul, Cavaliers center Anderson Varejao, Celtics forward Jared Sullinger, Mavericks forward Dirk Nowitzki, Bobcats guard Gerald Henderson and Warriors forward/center Marreese Speights. No warnings were handed out during the preseason. Harden and Brewer have both been fined $5,000 for incurring second violations.
Instituted before the 2012-13 season, the NBA's anti-flopping system provides one free warning to players before they are subjected to a scaling set of monetary fines.
- Violation 1: Warning
- Violation 2: $5,000 fine
- Violation 3: $10,000 fine
- Violation 4: $15,000 fine
- Violation 5: $30,000 fine
- Violation 6: Subject to discipline reasonable under the circumstances, including an increased fine and/or suspension
The NBA assigned 24 flopping violations to 19 different players on 13 different teams during the 2012-13 regular season. Five players received two infractions each, earning fines totaling $25,000, with zero players getting dinged three or more times.
During the 2013 playoffs, the NBA removed the free warning and began assessing fines. Although commissioner David Stern said that the league's current policy "isn't enough" to curb the practice, the league did not adopt any changes to the policy during the offseason.
The NBA defines flopping as "any physical act that, following review, reasonably appears to be intended to cause the game officials to call a foul on another player" with the “primary factor” in determining a flop being whether “a player’s physical reaction to contact with another player is inconsistent with what would reasonably be expected given the force or direction of the contact.”
