The National Basketball Association will open its 2006-2007 season with the usual tweaks-open substitutions during 20-second timeouts and increased observance of free-throw lane violations-but two changes in particular have dominated the discussion of NBA fans and analysts this off-season: the zero-tolerance policy against players arguing officials’ calls and the introduction of a brand-new official game ball.

The “Rasheed Wallace” rule, aptly named by the king of heated dispute himself, Rasheed Wallace, refers to a new zero-tolerance policy which threatens to hit players with technical fouls for arguing or showing visible disgust for an official’s calls-a rule Commissioner David Stern feels will increase the integrity of the game on the floor.

‘Sheed racked up an NBA-best (or worst) 16 technical fouls under the more liberal technical foul guidelines last season, earning him a one-game suspension in the process. One should think the new policy would be worrisome for ‘Sheed, but he’s vowed to find a way to express his emotions. He’ll break 25 this season-wait and see.

The biggest controversy this off-season, however, stems from the NBA’s decision to replace its leather ball, which has been the official game ball of the NBA for the past 35 years, with a new synthetic micro-fiber ball. League officials claim the new ball is superior in that it is more durable and provides better grip, but the players-you know, the guys who dribble and shoot and rebound the ball-seem to think differently.

Stars like Carmelo, Amare, Jermaine O’Neal, Stack, Gilbert, Paul, Webb, Kobe, Nash-all have expressed distaste for the new ball.

Rasheed Wallace, as always, shared his outspoken opinion, calling the new ball terrible and longing for the old-fashioned cowhide. Jerry Stackhouse chose a more retrospective approach for his criticism, explaining that no NBA great-Michael Jordan, Dr. J-would want to change the ball. And Raja Bell felt it necessary to express his thoughts a bit more tersely when he said he thinks the ball sucks.

But no player has come out against the new ball as aggressively as Shaquille O’Neal, who feels the switch is “the worst decision” the league has ever made. Shaq has equated the feel of the old and new ball to the difference between touching a real-life exotic dancer and a plastic blow-up doll-it’s just different. We’ll have to take your word on that one, Diesel.

At least one NBA superstar, though, claims he is indifferent to the switch. LeBron James explained to reporters that he’s “probably played with 20,000 different (balls) in my life,” James said. “I’ll put it in the hole.”

I don’t doubt it.

The NBA regular season tips off October 31.

Robert Lewis can be reached at [email protected]