Looking at the past 2 league expansions to make some predictions about how future expansion might work. Pretty good explanation. Many of the key points we've already discussed here,... but then they take it a step further & assuming a 25-26 expansion season (very unlikely, but you lose some of the thought process if you try to project it further),.. they hold a mock expansion draft.
Number 2 selected is Johnny Furphy of the Pacers.
https://www.espn.com/nba/story/_/id/41300098/what-nba-expansion-draft-look-future
Much more likely scenario is 27-28 season. (which is way too far out to project contracts/players,...) If we continue to resign our players, we would have as follows:
Tyrese - under contract
Pascal - under contract
Myles - assuming we resign him next summer for a 3 year or longer contract - under contract
Obi - under contract
Nesmith = UFA - don't need to be protected, but will need to be re-signed.
McConnell - under contract / 5M guarantee with a club option on 28-29
Mathurin - assuming he is extended for at least 2 years - under contract
Walker - RFA - will have to be protected if we want to keep his rights
Jackson - if he is extended next summer for 3 years or longer - under contract
Shepp - RFA - will have to be protected if we want to keep his rights
Andrew - under contract
Brown - I am going to guess that he is gone
JJ - he's on a year by year so, UFA - won't need to be protected
Furphy - team option, - likely under contract,... worst case, he could be a RFA & would need to be protected.
Wiseman - if he works out & is resigned for 2 or more years - under contract - could time an extension so he is a UFA?
Edit: Oh yeah,... forgot,.. and a 25 first round pick - under contract. Most likely - no 26 first rounder as that (1-4 protected) is in the hands of the Raptors. We would have a 27 first round pick, but I think (correct me if I'm wrong here Scoot), but the expansion would take place before the rookie draft? (that would make sense based on the article as picks in the same summer as the expansion were traded during their 'expansion draft'.)
No idea how they would handle 2-ways, as they didn't exist during the last expansions?
Just looking at what we know now,... who do we keep? who do we risk making draftable?....

Does anyone think that the league office starting to take expansion seriously could provide a push for the Pacers to make a consolidation trade prior to an expansion? to be able to keep the talent level, if not the depth?
Just a conversation starter to get some opinions while we wait for training camp to start. LOL
