“This is cowardly” – Former LeBron James' teammate condemns Adam Silver-backed new rule for 2025 NBA season

The NBA has rolled out a new rule for the 2025–26 season that’s already stirring debate. Players will no longer be personally charged with missed end-of-quarter heaves from beyond 36 feet.

Instead, those shots will count against the team’s total attempts, not the shooter’s percentage. While Commissioner Adam Silver believes the change will encourage more last-second fireworks, critics see it as a dangerous precedent. And few have been louder in opposition than Richard Jefferson.

Richard Jefferson blasts NBA rule protecting player stats

Richard Jefferson, who won the 2016 NBA title with LeBron James and the Cleveland Cavaliers, didn’t hold back after hearing about the adjustment.

“This is cowardly,” Jefferson posted on X. “We don't want it to count towards your %... UNLESS YOU MAKE IT. You want the positive without the potential for negative. PROFESSIONAL SPORTS 2025.”

For Jefferson, the issue goes beyond shooting percentages. On his podcast, he accused the league of eroding accountability in favor of optics. “There was a time when stats were earned, not curated,” Jefferson said in a recent podcast.

“Now we're changing the rules to make the numbers look prettier.”The rule applies specifically to desperation attempts launched in the final three seconds of the first three quarters, provided the shot is taken from at least 36 feet out. Silver and the board of governors argue that this will encourage more attempts and improve fan engagement. Last season, only 4 percent of such shots actually went in, according to SportRadar.Still, the change touches a nerve. Many players have contracts tied to shooting efficiency, and a missed 50-foot fling could weigh on bonuses, All-Star consideration, or even free agency negotiations. To protect themselves, some players have deliberately waited for the buzzer before letting a shot go, ensuring it didn’t count at all.

Is Adam Silver pushing the NBA into an entertainment model?

Supporters of the rule believe it will lead to more highlight-reel moments, much like Payton Pritchard’s deep buzzer-beaters in the 2024 NBA Finals. The criticism comes at a time when Silver is reshaping the league’s product. Along with the “heave rule,” the NBA is experimenting with a new three-team All-Star format and considering expansion to Seattle and Las Vegas.Jefferson, however, views the latest change as a step too far. For him, the NBA is tilting away from competition and toward image management. NBA's ever changing rules show that Silver is leaning towards exploring possible entertainment and fresh ideas to implement to engage more audience.Also Read: Kyle Kuzma’s fiancée Winnie Harlow shares behind-the-scenes glimpse into their upcoming wedding plans