re: Should basketball coaches be able to decline free throws?

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Most likely I'll foul you, but so what? A foul doesn't hurt me here.

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You can't ignore that it will add to your foul total. You keep saying it as if it's some small, insignificant thing, but it isn't.

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You don't get it. Down 8 with a minute left, and I'm lunging for that ball willy nilly. Most likely I'll foul you, but so what? A foul doesn't hurt me here.

See the problem?

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A foul puts a player in jeopardy of being disqualified, for one. Also, the opposing coach, assuming he declines the FTs STILL HAS TO INBOUND THE BALL. In late game situations that often leads to turnovers.

Not to mention the coach of the team who is up can choose to shoot them. It's weighing the risk/reward of either having to inbound the ball with no chance at any points vs. taking a shot for a point or two but them not being guaranteed.

A more logical objection would simply be that the same amount of fouls would be committed, it's just that those fouls would potentially be followed by a constant set of inbounds attempts. What's more exciting, watching a guy try to make a FT or two, or the team that's down attempting to get a five second call or turnover on the inbound?