“This is very much a highlights-based sport,” this statement from Adam Silver created a ruckus. But the commissioner is sticking to it. The league recently approved a new rule to encourage players to take long heaves without it counting towards their statistics. The chase for highlight-worthy moments is only going to go up with the changes.

However, there have been arguments against it. Some don’t see value in it. Yet, there is. Making such shots can instantly change the game. There’s players who don’t hesitate. Anthony Edwards attempted the most triples last season, and has attempted 32 heaves since the 2020-21 season. Nikola Jokic leads the charts with 57. For such players, the rule rewards their courage.

And since it doesn’t count towards a player’s personal efficiency, some of the best shot makers won’t be worrying either. Notably, Kevin Durant has only attempted two heaves over the past five seasons. Jalen Brunson and Kawhi Leonard have both attempted fewer than 10, according to The Athletic. Of course, this might just be because of their philosophy.

It isn’t necessary to attempt such shots in the first three quarters. But that’s about to change with the new rule. Since players won’t be penalized, it’s almost like a free shot at three points. Understanding how the wave of shooting threes keeps growing, the new rule supports that perfectly. In the past, it cost players if they missed such attempts.

It may have even been termed as a ‘bad shot’. However, coaches aren’t going to hold players back anymore. The impact of the new rule is going to be profound.

The three-point party is only going to get bigger

In the earlier eras, fans couldn’t fathom if teams were attempting a truckload of three-pointers per season. Now, the best shooting teams easily average over 1,000. This past season, the Celtics set the record with 1364 triples made. No team from before 2019 even ranks in the top 10. That shows just how valuable a three-pointer is in this age.

What do you think is going to happen when teams essentially get three free attempts at the end of the first three quarters?

It’s a relatively new rule, but teams are going to notice how valuable this can be. It doesn’t just open up All-Stars to take these shots regularly. It creates the possibility of it becoming a real strategy for teams. Of course, the efficiency on such shots is always going to be low because of how tough they really are. But it’s a free shot, and the league has never had more shooters in the league. Stephen Curry even believes it to be the most skilled era.

So the high-profile names aren’t just going to be happy that it won’t affect their statistics. They could easily begin working on such shots, noticing their potential to swing momentum. There’s no need to imagine. A shot of such nature at home will drive fans mad, which indirectly boosts morale for teams.

It’s still going to feel new. Players like Brunson and Kevin Durant might still be conservative with such shots. However, there’s almost an equal chance that they open themselves up to adding the skill to their repertoire.