T&T Expansion Draft Project

[Texas Chuck]

I'd like to do a project where we imagine that the NBA is introducing a new expansion franchise to begin play this season. For simplicity sake, I will put in place the following parameters:

Each team may only protect 8 players.
The expansion team may only pick one player from each team.
The expansion team does not have to worry about the salary cap when they draft, but their salary cap will be $45M for tax purposes so keep that in mind.
The expansion team needs to draft 13-15 players.

I'd like to first get responses as to whom you think each franchise should protect and who they should leave unprotected. Feel free to list just your favorite franchise, or a couple that interest you most, or go crazy and do all of them. Once we feel like we have a consensus(or as close to it as we can) then we can post the draft-eligible players by team and then anyone who wants can tell us who they would pick and why. Players that get drafted created a TPE in the amount of their salary for the team that loses them. Feel free to include in your expansion draft when we get there any trades you think they might make in terms of either picking or not picking certain players. IE: the Spurs agree to give their 2015 1st if the expansion team agrees to draft Matt Bonner instead of Patty Mills.

Here is an example for the Mavericks*:

Protected: Dirk, Ellis, Parsons, Wright, Aminu, Harris, Crowder, Chandler
Unprotected: , Smith, James, Jefferson, Nelson, Felton, Ledo, Mekel

*I used the 15 Mavs with gtd contracts


And yes I know we really should have done this prior to the draft and the start of free agency for more realism, but I didn't think of the idea then. Thought it might make a good way to pass some time while we eagerly await the start of the season.

[bondom34]

I like it.

OKC:

Protected: Durant, Westbrook, Ibaka, Adams, Jackson, Morrow, McGary, Collison

Unprotected: Perkins, Jerrett, Telfair, Lamb, PJ III, Huestis

Huestis is only on the books as a cap hold (in D League). I'd debate flipping Collison for PJ or maybe Lamb.

[jazzfan1971]

Jazz Protect - Hayward, Favors, Exum, Burke, Burks, Hood, Gobert, Kanter

Unprotected: Evans, Booker, Bost, Clark, Felix, Novak, Murphy?

Jazz would probably like to retain Booker, so I would guess he'd be the top target to be selected in expansion.

[pacers33granger]

Pacers Protect - George, Hibbert, West, George Hill, Solomon Hill, CJ Miles, Mahinimi, Stuckey

Unprotected: Scola, Allen, Sloan, Whittington, Copeland, Watson, Rudez

A little tougher to choose than I thought actually. I could see the team taking Watson, which would suck because I don't want Stuckey or Sloan to be the backup point guard. I wouldn't want to lose Rudez either since we have no idea what he will do and he's cheap but I can't justify putting him over Stuckey (I'd assume he'd get picked due to his talent and minimum salary).

[Smitty731]

Celtics protect: Bradley, Green, Olynyk, Rondo, Smart, Sullinger, Young and Zeller

Celtics unprotected: Bass, Faverani, Powell, Pressey, Thornton, Turner, Wallace (for this exercise I assumed Joel Anthony would be bought out)

Fun idea! I love anything to do with an Expansion Draft idea!

[Hawk Eye]

Atlanta Hawks:

Roster:

PG: Jeff Teague|Shelvin Mack|Dennis Schroeder
SG: Kyle Korver|Kent Bazemore|John Jenkins
SF: DeMarre Carroll|Thabo Sefolosha|Mike Scott
PF: Paul Milsap|Adreain Payne|Elton Brand
C: Al Horford|Pero Antic|Mike Muscala

8 Protected:

-Horford
-Korver
-Milsap
-Teague
-Carroll
-Payne
-Schroeder
-Thabo

Remaining: Mike Scott, Mike Muscala, John Jenkins, Shelvin Mack, Pero Antic, Elton Brand, Kent Bazemore

[loserX]

Jazz Protect - Hayward, Favors, Exum, Burke, Burks, Hood, Gobert, Kanter

Unprotected: Evans, Booker, Bost, Clark, Felix, Novak, Murphy?

Jazz would probably like to retain Booker, so I would guess he'd be the top target to be selected in expansion.

Nailed it.

If any of this unprotected list were to be taken, it'd be Booker or Novak. None of the other guys are much more than roster fill.

[Smitty731]

I'd like to do a project where we imagine that the NBA is introducing a new expansion franchise to begin play this season. For simplicity sake, I will put in place the following parameters:

Each team may only protect 8 players.
The expansion team may only pick one player from each team.
The expansion team does not have to worry about the salary cap when they draft, but their salary cap will be $45M for tax purposes so keep that in mind.
The expansion team needs to draft 13-15 players.

I'd like to first get responses as to whom you think each franchise should protect and who they should leave unprotected. Feel free to list just your favorite franchise, or a couple that interest you most, or go crazy and do all of them. Once we feel like we have a consensus(or as close to it as we can) then we can post the draft-eligible players by team and then anyone who wants can tell us who they would pick and why. Players that get drafted created a TPE in the amount of their salary for the team that loses them. Feel free to include in your expansion draft when we get there any trades you think they might make in terms of either picking or not picking certain players. IE: the Spurs agree to give their 2015 1st if the expansion team agrees to draft Matt Bonner instead of Patty Mills.

Here is an example for the Mavericks*:

Protected: Dirk, Ellis, Parsons, Wright, Aminu, Harris, Crowder, Chandler
Unprotected: , Smith, James, Jefferson, Nelson, Felton, Ledo, Mekel

*I used the 15 Mavs with gtd contracts


And yes I know we really should have done this prior to the draft and the start of free agency for more realism, but I didn't think of the idea then. Thought it might make a good way to pass some time while we eagerly await the start of the season.

Can we say the new team will be in Seattle? They obviously deserve a team. In addition, when deciding who they would pick from the unprotected player, this would help guide choices. At least for me it would. For example, if there is a Washington guy (UW, WSU, Gonzaga) they could take him for local connection out of the gate.

It also helps decide roster makeup. If it is a major city, that could attract FAs, you might want a bunch of low priced guys and decide to go after FAs. If it isn't a "major" city, you might want to go after as much talent as you can get right away. Just a couple of thoughts.

If not Seattle, I suggest picking a city for the purposes of this project.

[ace625214]

Timberwolves

Protected:
Rubio
LaVine
Wiggins
Dieng
Young
Brewer
Bennett
Pekovic

Unprotected:
Muhammad
Martin
Barea (PLEASE DRAFT HIM)
Budinger
Hummel
Robinson III
Williams

I could see either of Brewer/Bennett being swapped for Muhammad/Robinson III, depending on your opinions of them. This is what I would do, though.

[Timmaytime]

Pistons protect:
Andre Drummond
Greg Monroe
Josh Smith
Kentavious Caldwell-Pope
Spencer Dinwiddie
DJ Augustin
Jodie Meeks
Kyle Singler

Unprotected:
Cartier Martin
Brandon Jennings
Aaron Gray
Jonas Jerebko
Caron Butler
Luigi Datome
Will Bynum

[DeBlazerRiddem]

Portland Blazers Protected:
Lillard
Aldridge
Batum
Lopez
Matthews
McCollum
Robinson
Kaman

Portland Blazers Unprotected
Blake
Wright
Barton
Leonard
Freeland
Claver
Crabbe

[HartfordWhalers]

Philly:

Protected:
Embiid
Noel
MCW
5 other guys

Unprotected:
7 other guys.

[Texas Chuck]

Can we say the new team will be in Seattle? They obviously deserve a team. In addition, when deciding who they would pick from the unprotected player, this would help guide choices. At least for me it would. For example, if there is a Washington guy (UW, WSU, Gonzaga) they could take him for local connection out of the gate.

It also helps decide roster makeup. If it is a major city, that could attract FAs, you might want a bunch of low priced guys and decide to go after FAs. If it isn't a "major" city, you might want to go after as much talent as you can get right away. Just a couple of thoughts.

If not Seattle, I suggest picking a city for the purposes of this project.

I actually did almost make the team the new Seattle Supersonics in the OP, but I didn't want to potentially alienate any Sonics/Thunder fans. I can think of at least one regular who might have been.

But also because I thought it might be interesting for each person who wants to have a go at drafting a team to pick their own city and like you say--draft accordingly. You might take a guy with local ties to help sell tickets or you might feel the need to put together a competent roster rather than going with all young/cheap guys, etc.. based on how you perceive your market.

[HartfordWhalers]

Philly:

Protected:
Embiid
Noel
MCW
5 other guys

Unprotected:
7 other guys.

Okay, more seriously:
For those 5 spots:
Wroten gets protected.
Hollis gets protected.
Sims gets protected?
Moultrie? (if he keeps looking likr an NBA player, he jumps ahead of the recent second rounders.
KJ McDaniels (crappy 1 year contract in all)

Might sneak past someone:
Jerami Grant (why not?)


All yours guys:
LRMM
Shved
Richardson

And ung guys
Ronald Roberts
Jakarr Sampson
Casper Ware
Malcom Lee
Drew Gordon
Chris Johnson
Eliot Williams
Brandon Davies

[bondom34]

All yours guys:
LRMM
Shved
Richardson

And ung guys
Ronald Roberts
Jakarr Sampson
Casper Ware
Malcom Lee
Drew Gordon
Chris Johnson
Eliot Williams
Brandon Davies

[Dat2U]

Wizards:
Protected: G John Wall, G Bradley Beal, C Marcin Gortat, F Otto Porter Jr., GF Glen Rice Jr., FC Kris Humphries, FC DeJuan Blair & F Paul Pierce
Unprotected: GF Martell Webster(bad contract), FC Nene(age & salary), G Andre Miller(age), G Garrett Temple, C Kevin Seraphin, FC Drew Gooden

[Laimbeer]

Pistons protect:
Andre Drummond
Greg Monroe
Josh Smith
Kentavious Caldwell-Pope
Spencer Dinwiddie
DJ Augustin
Jodie Meeks
Kyle Singler

Unprotected:
Cartier Martin
Brandon Jennings
Aaron Gray
Jonas Jerebko
Caron Butler
Luigi Datome
Will Bynum

Why protect Smith? If someone wants to take him straight off our hands with no salary back, great.

[165bows]

Philly:

Protected:
Embiid
Noel
MCW
5 other guys

Unprotected:
7 other guys.

They'd sell their spaces for future considerations.

[HornetJail]

Protected:
Al Jefferson
Kemba Walker
Lance Stephenson
Bismack Biyombo
Michael Kidd-Gilchrist
Noah Vonleh
Cody Zeller
PJ Hairston

Available:
Gerald Henderson
Marvin Williams
Gary Neal
Jeff Taylor
Brian Roberts
Jannero Pargo
Jason Maxiell

[Texas Chuck]

Pistons protect:
Andre Drummond
Greg Monroe
Josh Smith
Kentavious Caldwell-Pope
Spencer Dinwiddie
DJ Augustin
Jodie Meeks
Kyle Singler

Unprotected:
Cartier Martin
Brandon Jennings
Aaron Gray
Jonas Jerebko
Caron Butler
Luigi Datome
Will Bynum

Why protect Smith? If someone wants to take him straight off our hands with no salary back, great.

My guess would be he knows the expansion team is never taking Smith, doesn't really care about any of the guys he left unprotected, and doesn't want to have to deal with Smith's feelings being hurt that he was left unprotected.