NBA Might Get Rid Of "Push-Offs": 5 Stars Who Would Be Devastated

The NBA is coming for the push-off. The push-off has been an offensive foul for decades, and the league’s video rulebook already has plenty of examples of players being whistled for extending an arm to create separation. But for the 2026-27 season, the NBA has made off-arm push-offs by offensive players a specific point of emphasis , meaning officials are being instructed to pay closer attention to the little forearm and elbow extensions that have become part of modern scoring. That could be devastating news for some NBA stars. Take that weapon away, and some stars will have to find different ways to create those same looks. They’ll still be elite scorers; that’s what they do best, but it will hurt their games. And if the league really starts calling those plays consistently, these five stars could feel it more than most. 5. James Harden James Harden is not the same scorer who won three scoring titles and averaged 36.1 points per game with the Houston Rockets. Those days of watching Harden dribble for 15 seconds before casually burying a step-back three are mostly behind him. At this stage of his career, Harden has become more of a playmaker than a pure scorer. He is still an elite passer, still one of the league’s most dangerous pick-and-roll operators and still capable of taking over stretches of a game. Last season, Harden averaged 23.6 points and 8.0 assists per game on 43.4% from the field and 37.5% from three. His offensive game now depends much more on manipulating defenders and creating advantages than simply blowing past everybody, and that is exactly why a push-off crackdown could bother him. He can lean into a defender, change direction, create contact, and use his strength to create just enough room for a jumper. Even when he isn’t scoring 30 every night, that move is part of his offensive toolbox. The difference now is that Harden does not have the same burst he had a decade ago. If the league takes away some of the physical shortcuts he has used to create separation, he will have to rely even more heavily on his handle, passing, and three-point shooting. At 37, that could make scoring just a little more difficult. 4. LeBron James Yes, LeBron James is old. He is entering his 24th NBA season, which is ridiculous enough to make everybody feel old. But being 41 does not mean LeBron suddenly stopped being one of the strongest players in basketball. If anything, his strength has become even more important since he plays bully-ball more often than not. LeBron can still get downhill and put his shoulder into defenders before finishing through contact. He can still back smaller players down, use his massive frame to create angles, and bully his way toward the basket. But the push-off crackdown could make some of those possessions more difficult. Whether it looks like it or not, LeBron pushes his way to the rim with a little more than a forearm. LeBron has spent decades operating in that gray area because he is so physically powerful. A defender can be perfectly positioned and still find himself moving backward simply because LeBron is stronger. Now imagine officials becoming much more aggressive about the offensive player’s off arm. LeBron would still find ways to score because, well, he is LeBron James. But instead of using his old-man strength to create that extra foot of space, he may have to beat defenders with more movement and footwork. Thankfully, he is on the 76ers now and can rely on Jaylen Brown, Tyrese Maxey , and Joel Embiid to handle the bulk of the scoring. 3. Jaylen Brown Jaylen Brown might have the most interesting relationship with this crackdown because he has publicly spoken about the league’s increased focus on offensive push-offs. And the NBA’s own Video Rulebook makes Brown part of the conversation . One example involving Brown specifically explains a legal step-back in which he does not extend his arm or push his defender to create space. That is exactly what officials will now be watching more closely. Brown is one of the NBA’s most physical forwards. He is incredibly strong, loves attacking downhill, and has developed into a devastating mid-range scorer. When Brown gets his shoulder past a defender, he can use his strength to keep that advantage and get into his spots. The problem is that sometimes the difference between Brown creating separation and Brown pushing a defender away can be incredibly subtle. Yes, Brown does not need to push off on every possession. Far from it. But when a player is as comfortable using his physicality as Brown is, taking away even a small part of that toolbox matters. The Celtics star is coming off a 2025-26 season in which he earned All-NBA Second Team honors by averaging a career-high 28.7 points and 5.1 assists per game on 47.7% from the field and 34.7% from deep, so this isn’t about questioning whether he can score. He absolutely can. The question is whether he will have to work a little harder for the same shots. And judging by Brown’s comments about the crackdown, he clearly isn’t thrilled about the direction the league is taking. 2. Luka Doncic Luka Doncic will be fine; let’s get that out of the way. He is coming off another scoring title last season by averaging 33.5 points and 8.3 assists per game on 47.6% from the field and 36.6% from three. If the NBA starts calling push-offs more aggressively, nobody should expect Doncic to suddenly stop being a scoring-title candidate. He is too skilled with the basketball. He can score from all three levels, manipulate defenders with his pace, and punish almost any defense thrown at him. But there is one thing the crackdown could take away: easy separation created by strength. Doncic is a 6’6′′, 230-pound problem for defenders. He loves to switch onto smaller defenders to punish them, or use his body to shove away bigger players to create room for a shot. Take away the illegal part of that equation, and Doncic simply has to work a little harder. For a player who has a heavy load to carry with the Lakers, that isn’t ideal. He will still use his step-back. He will still change speeds and directions, and often bully smaller players. But if officials are consistently calling the little arm extension, some of those pull-ups become very contested shots. That could shave a few points off Doncic’s scoring average. It probably won’t stop him from being one of the league’s most prolific scorers, but he will be affected. 1. Shai Gilgeous-Alexander If there is one superstar who immediately comes to mind for NBA fans when the league announces a crackdown on offensive push-offs, it is Shai Gilgeous-Alexander . Despite the criticism he often receives for how he generates points, Shai is lethal. He has a scoring title in his career (32.7 points per game in 2014-15), posting 31.1 points and 6.6 assists per game on 55.3% from the field and 38.6% from three last season. It is because so much of Shai’s offensive brilliance comes from his ability to manipulate defenders in tiny spaces. His ability to stop on a dime and get into those short pull-ups is one of the defining features of his offensive game. And yes, the fouls are part of the conversation too. Critics have spent years arguing that Shai’s scoring is heavily dependent on drawing fouls and using his body to create contact. Whether those criticisms are fair or not, the perception exists. Now the league is specifically telling officials to focus on offensive players using their off arm to create space. That makes Shai the obvious player to watch. The scary part for opposing teams is that he probably will adapt. Shai is too talented not to. He won the 2024-25 scoring title and has made four straight All-NBA First Team selections as a two-time reigning MVP. But could this new rule prevent him from winning a second scoring title? That is where things get fascinating. If officials eliminate even some of the extra space he has historically been able to manufacture, he may have to take more difficult shots or attack the rim more aggressively. The NBA isn’t trying to take Shai Gilgeous-Alexander out of basketball. It is simply telling players that if they want space, they have to earn it without extending an arm into the defender. But Shai won’t be thrilled with this news.