League to start fining floppers as of next season

KISSIMMEE, Fla. -- The NBA will begin fining players guilty of flopping, beginning next season.

Although the exact amount of fines has not been determined, the clubs have been informed that a new rule is on the way.

"We have not finalized what the system's going to be and certainly we will before the beginning of next season," NBA vice president of basketball operations Stu Jackson said Friday.

In-game observers at the arenas and video reviewers will report theatrical flops as part of postgame reports, according to ESPN.com, which first reported the plan to penalize floppers.

"Our objective is to get the most egregious flops, the ones where the player's just flat taking a dive," Jackson said.

Whether suspensions could be a part of the punishments is not clear. The league has an escalating scale of punishments for technical fouls and could use something similar for flops.

Players who flop in international basketball get a technical foul.