David Stern has had much to say about flopping recently. He's been threatening to do something about it for the past couple of years. In the meantime, LeBron James has made flopping into an art form.
The refs too often fall for the acting jobs and reward the flopper with free throws. If they fell for the academy award winning performances in the video above, how will they ever be able to determine real from flop?

If the refs can't determine these clear flops now, how can they threaten penalties for them.   Maybe the answer is to get better referees, or for the ones we have to do their job instead of giving certain players a free pass.  The flagrant called on Chandler above is an example of the refs watching film and still not recognizing  the acting job and handing out a flagrant foul. 

 Every year, dozens of flagrant fouls and technicals are rescinded after the fact, but that is little comfort to a team that lost a close game due to those calls. I guess the league will be combing through every game tape watching for flops so as to fine players and pad the NBA coffers. I doubt giving up a couple thousand dollars will stop any player from flopping as long as they still get the free throws for it from the refs. It's all about wins and losses and if a flop will get them 2 points, then what's a little bit of money. Teams may even pitch in to pay the fines for the better floppers. Will they really call King James on his flops, or will the star players still get away with flopping simply because they are stars?

As we can see from the following video, flopping isn't anything new.  I think though it's become more prevalent because players get away with it.   Here is a video of Celtics patriarch, Red Auerbach, ranting against flopping. With the help of Hall of Fame referee, Mindy Rudolph, they give the solution to flopping - just don't call it. Don't reward the flopper by giving him free throws eventually, as he watches his player go past him and score while he is lying on the floor flopping like a fish, he will get the message and just stop the acting.   But that would take competent referees, and I'm not so sure we have them any more. After years of coddling by David Stern, I don't know if refs these days are capable of determining flop from foul.    If they could, Red's solution would be perfect. 
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