When I rewatch NBA games, I can press the „10s forward button“ multiple times to get to see players make their first and second free-throw attempts. Players taking a lot of time to get to the line, then making their rituals, giving high five to the other players. Also refs for some reason holding the ball for excessive amount of time before giving it back to the free-throw shooter.
Some people complain about too many timeouts or timeouts and challenges taking too long. While I agree with this, at least there is a reason/argument for the NBA to do this: they can make more money with commercials. Like it or not, but it is an argument.
But whats the advantage for the NBA to allow so much time passing before and between free-throws? Why don’t they speed up the process? Refs to give the ball to the players fast, urge players to make their shot fast. What‘s the argument for the NBA to make free throws such a long interruption, such a long process? How does the NBA benefit from that?
Karl Malone was notorious for taking ages to shoot free throws. There is (was?) a time limit that's rarely enforced, but hostile crowds would start counting out the seconds while he was doing his foul line ritual to mess with his head. I don't think it did much, but I found it funny. There is a rule...
Rule is 10 sec once the ref passes the ball.
Before that there can be substitutions and refs have to make sure the players are lined up.
You don't want some Chris Paul smart guy to get the ball, catch an opponent not yet positioned and then rush to shoot the ball to then call a violation thay delays the game even more.