Shooter Unintentionally Drops the Ball

[Adam]

I'm not sure I agree. The limits control what a player may do after lifting his pivot foot. Starting a dribble does not constitute "holding the ball," yet you call him for traveling if he starts it after raising the pivot foot.
Like I said, I'm still willing to think this through.

[Nevadaref]

While it is true that that is traveling, it is not because of 4-44-3a, but rather part c which specifically states that action is illegal.

There is no such specific statement for a fumble.

If I were to apply the same logic you used here, "The restrictions on what a player may do after lifting his pivot foot are explicit,..." to 4-44-3c, then I would point out that this rule is also explicit and it only forbids starting a dribble after lifting the pivot foot. It does not say that the pivot foot may not be lifted before the ball is released when fumbled!