The motivation behind rule changes

Rule changes are sometimes made to correct a perceived imbalance in the game. That was the case when Lew Alcindor appeared unstoppable in his early years. However, sometimes rule changes are made to try to make the game more popular. That is an entirely different motivation.

Almost inevitably rule chances for the second reason degrade the game. By definition, true basketball fans do not need to have the game made more popular for them, so those changes are made to try to broaden the attendance base. In other words, those changes have a dollar $ign attached to them, and when money is attached, an action very often has a corrupting influence.