He's an evolution.
Started with guys like Ainge and Divac with dramatic antics and exploded from there. Dirk made falling over after every shot a mainstream thing, Kobe made straight up fouling your defender with an elbow or a forearm shiver the norm.
The league cracked down on defensive bully ball in the late 90s and the evolution is destroying the game. They need to do something... institute "flopping" challenges... I dunno, like 6 years ago the league claimed they would issue retroactive techs for egregious flopping and I think they gave out like 2.
They gotta fix it. I know the rules basically flip in the playoffs and suddenly you're allowed to defend (which is also inexcusable, the rules should be the rules), but it's a joke right now and everyone knows it.