LA Clippers star wants the NBA to introduce red card in basketball after terrible officiating in Lakers’ loss

The idea borrows from soccer, where a red card results in immediate ejection, and applies it to flopping, something the NBA has already tried to address through technical fouls and fines.

Under current rules, players can be penalized for flopping with a non-unsportsmanlike technical foul and a free throw for the opposing team, but those violations do not lead to ejection.

Bogdanovic’s suggestion goes significantly further, effectively calling for zero tolerance on plays that are deemed deceptive after review.

LA Lakers vs OKC Thunder Game 2 controversy adds fuel to officiating debate

The timing of the comment is hard to ignore given what unfolded in Game 2 between the Lakers and Thunder, a game that quickly became defined as much by officiating as by the final score.

The Lakers were visibly frustrated throughout the night, with head coach JJ Redick criticizing what he described as inconsistent calls and a lack of protection for players like LeBron James, who has seen limited trips to the free-throw line despite frequent contact near the rim.

While the raw numbers did not show a massive disparity, with Oklahoma City attempting 26 free throws compared to the Lakers’ 21, the frustration centered more on the nature and timing of the calls rather than the totals themselves.

Several key moments added to that tension, including a flagrant foul review involving Shai Gilgeous-Alexander and multiple instances where Lakers players believed physical defense went unpunished.

Even Austin Reaves confronted officials postgame, describing the interaction as “disrespectful,” which only highlighted how strongly the team felt about the situation.

That environment is exactly what gives ideas like Bogdanovic’s more attention. Because when officiating becomes the story, fans and players start looking for solutions. Even the extreme ones.

Read more:

• Skip Bayless says LeBron James lacks ‘clutch gene’ in shocking all-time ranking
• JJ Redick makes ‘worst’ admission about LeBron James after LA Lakers’ brutal Game 2 defeat
• Shai Gilgeous-Alexander’s ‘supporter’ sounds off on OKC star’s ‘dirty maneuver’ on Austin Reaves