Every time Chris Paul flops, it makes the NBA’s policy against the disease of cheating to draw fouls look even more ridiculous. After the Los Angeles Clippers point guard provided a horrendous attempt (Which actually worked) by putting a foul on Ricky Rubio thanks to his disgusting acting, all he got was a warning, even though this isn’t the first time he’s been involved in such an incident over the last two years.

The NBA’s system against flopping works like this – a warning for your first flop of the season, a $5000 fine for your second flop and then the rate of fines go higher and higher. Is there any reason for players not to try and fool referees?

There’s a big difference between selling it, which is usually about getting a charging foul and adding a little bit of emotion and reaction to contact, than completely making a fool of the game’s rules by looking like you’ve just been hit by a ghost.

Paul wasn’t the only player to get warned by the league for his flopping, as Anderson Varejao, another player known for his tendency to fall to the floor without getting touched. James Harden was fined a day earlier, getting his second flop-violation of the season, which happened to be in a game against the Los Angeles Clippers. Harden is actually appealing the decision by the league, but you should be the judge.

The funny thing about Harden’s pretty clear case of flopping is that it happened against Blake Griffin, who is also known to be quite light on his feet when physical contact is involved, also earning himself a reputation as a player who doesn’t really mind sacrificing dignity and a few dollars if it means his team gets the foul.

And that’s the story with Paul. He wants to win, which means he’ll flop if the situation calls for it. It did get Rubio another foul, and took him out of the game. We can play chaos theory all day long, but every little moment counts, and for players to be rewarded for cheating means the system is broken, at least in the way it’s handling the flopping epidemic which is running rampant in the NBA, even among it’s leading players.

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