Using the same logic as the original poster, if a defender swats at a shooter's arm but misses, it's a personal foul.

I'm seeing this a little differently now. I think we need to think about it this way, unless there's contact, it's not really a "screen." It's just players occupying space on the court. The screening rules are what make allowances for contact in certain situations and dictate who bears the greater responsibility. Without the contact, it can't be an illegal screen.

How often do we hear "That's a moving screen!"... So what...

The rules tell you what a screen is and what makes it illegal. There are legal moving screens even if there is contact if done correctly. (Trailer on a fast break that just slows down)

As has been posted before go back to the fundamentals of basketball. Stop making this so difficult.

By the way if you referee the defense the illegal screens are easier to call because on the screens you know ho many steps the player has taken...

From what I observe in my areas there are a lot of less experienced officials who get too focused on the ball and not what play is coming next or widening their view and trying to anticpate waht is going to happen. Everybody know where the ball handler and ball ought to be going...

I think the point being made to me on this thread is that the rules define a legal screen and do not define an illegal screen, therefore without contact you cannot have an illegal screen. :confused: We each relearn what others have learned so that we can "make it our own" and this forum is intended to be a place where an honest inquiry can be posted - once you know anything it is never difficult, but reviewing rules can always make you rethink what you thought you knew.
It would be nice if the searches for this forum were simple text-based searches because I did want to try and find the answer without putting anyone through a post about something which clearly would have been discussed, but oh well. As you seem to be suggesting, I will search for "fundamentals of basketball" - thanks.

Illegal screen without contact? You could have a team technical foul if two teammates lock arms in an effort to restrict the movement of an opponent. I still don't believe I would call that if there wasn't contact.

Apparently not. The note I'm making to myself is to drop the term "illegal screen" and replace it with "not a legal screen" or "not legal screening position", because I'm beginning to understand that the rules only address "legal screen" and do not support using the 'other' term. Note that I say beginning to understand because I'm sure I have read this on the forum before but it did not sink in clearly - too preprogrammed to believe that "illegal screens" exist.