2020 NBA Expansion Draft: Protect your players (still need CLE/HOU/LAL/MIL)

[babyjax13]

HELLO REALGMs. Welcome to the 2020 NBA Expansion Draft. For the next several days we are going to be protecting players from the team you follow most closely for our expansion draft game. Please read this post before protecting players. The key rules right now are those for "Protecting Players."

Please note that we want at least one response per team, but MORE IS BETTER. I will tally up averages, and make reasonable decisions where there is some kind of disagreement to be arbitrated (e.g. if there is a debate about kinds of compensation to attach to players that a team does/does not want selected). I am treating your list as a ranking, so be deliberate in where each player is placed.

Late on people will be able to select an expansion team, but not in this thread.

Also, please list all the players on your roster and whether you are choosing to protect or not protect them. This makes tallying much easier.

Rules (adapted from Bobcats Rules):
A. Protecting players:

> Each of the 30 NBA teams may protect a maximum of eight players on its roster who are under contract, restricted free agents, or for whom they retain draft rights for at the conclusion of the 2019-20 season.

> However, each NBA team must leave one player on its roster eligible for selection, even if they do not have eight players under contract or who are restricted free agents.

Teams still needed:
Atlanta
Brooklyn
Cleveland
Houston
Lakers
Milwaukee
New York
Philadelphia
San Antonio

> Teams may attach draft or cash incentive (maximum of $3 million) to players they wish to have selected (i.e. want their salary gone + the TPE), or offer draft or cash incentive (maximum of $3 million) to have teams not select a player/player(s) from their roster.


B. Expansion draft:

You may select a minimum of 14 players who are under contract or restricted free agents for the 2004-05 season.
You may may select no more than one player from each team.
You may can only select players that are left unprotected by an NBA team.
Any player under contract selected will immediately be placed on your roster
Any eligible restricted free agent selected shall immediately become an unrestricted free agent.
Unrestricted free agents are not eligible to be protected nor are they eligible to be selected.

C. Salary Cap

The Expansion team will have a Salary Cap in its first season equal to 66% of the Salary Cap applicable to the rest of the league and a Salary Cap in its second season equal to 75% of the Salary Cap applicable to the rest of the league.
The Expansion team will be permitted to sign any restricted free agent it selects in the Expansion Draft using the same “Bird,” “Early Bird” or “Non-Bird” Exception that the player’s prior team would have had.
Compensation paid to a selected player under a contract protected for lack of skill will be excluded from the Expansion Team's Salary if the player’s contract is terminated (via the waiver procedure) prior to the start of the 2004-05 season.
A team with a Team Salary above the Salary Cap will receive a Trade Exception to replace a player (other than a restricted free agent) selected from its unprotected list.

D. Post-Expansion Draft Transactions

A team will not be permitted to reacquire a player that it loses in the Expansion Draft prior to the expiration of one year from the date of the Expansion Draft, unless the player is waived and not claimed by any other team.

[loserX]

Awesome. Utah's will be interesting so I hope lots of Jazz fans participate.

Utah Jazz

Protected
Donovan Mitchell
Rudy Gobert
Bojan Bogdanovic
Joe Ingles
Royce O'Neale
Mike Conley
Tony Bradley
Georges Niang

Unprotected
Ed Davis
Nigel Williams-Goss
Miye Oni
Rayjon Tucker
Jarrell Brantley (RFA)
Justin Wright-Foreman (RFA)

UFA, ineligible
Emmanuel Mudiay
Jordan Clarkson

(I was conflicted about Conley and I know some people may want to leave him unprotected. But I think the Jazz do want to keep him now that he finally started playing like Mike Conley, and it's not like there's anyone super-valuable on our unprotected list that I'd be desperate to keep over him.)

[babyjax13]

Utah Jazz

Protect
(1) Rudy Gobert
(2) Donovan Mitchell
(3) Joe Ingles
(4) Bojan Bogdanovic
(5) Royce O'neale
(6) Rayjon Tucker
(7) Tony Bradley
(8) Georges Niang

Unprotected
(9) Mike Conley
(10) Jarell Brantley
(11) Miye Oni
(12) Juwan Morgan
(13) Nigel Williams Goss
(14) Justin Wright Foreman
(15) Ed Davis (offering 2021 UTA + 2021 GSW 2nd for a team to take him)

[babyjax13]

Edited OP to include draft rights as protectable/pickable a la RFAs. Seems particularly important for Orlando.

[Kurt Heimlich]

Chicago Bulls

Protect:
Zach Lavine
Coby White
Lauri Markkanen
Wendell Carter Jr
Chandler Hutchison
Daniel Gafford
Tomas Satoransky
Otto Porter

Unprotected:
Kris Dunn (RFA)
Denzel Valentine (RFA)
Thad Young
Ryan Arcidiacano
Luke Kornet
Cristiano Felicio (max cash incentive $3M plus top 35 protected 2021 2nd to take him)

I struggled with whether or not to protect OPJ. But he is a valuable player when healthy, and I'm a sucker for hope (and I think he'd get picked if made available). So I'm going to hope he's healthy for most of 2020-21. Satoransky vs Thad/ Dunn are probably up for debate also.

[E S V L]

Memphis Grizzlies

Protected:

Justise Winslow
Ja Morant
Jaren Jackson
Brandon Clarke
Dillon Brooks
Tyus Jones
De`Anthony Melton
Gorgui Dieng

Unprotected:

Jonas Valanciunas
Kyle Anderson
Jontay Porter
Marko Guduric
Grayson Allen
John Kanchar (SRP as an incentive)

UFA:
Josh Jackson
Yuta Watanabe

[Magic_Johnny12]

Orlando Magic

(In no particular order)

1) Nikola Vucevic
2) Markelle Fultz
3) Jonathan Isaac
4) Aaron Gordon
5) Chuma Okeke
6) Terrence Ross
7) Mohamed Bamba
8) Al Fariq Aminu

Unprotected

9) Evan Fournier (not sure if he counts as he has a player option next season)
10) Khem Birch
11) James Ennis (not sure if he counts as he has a player option next season)
12) Melvin Frazier

UFA, ineligible

13) DJ Augustine
14) Gary Clark
15) MCW
16) Wes Iwundu
17) Vic Law
18) BJ Johnson

[eminence]

Utah Jazz

Protected
Donovan Mitchell
Bojan Bogdanovic
Joe Ingles
Royce O'Neale
Rudy Gobert
Juwan Morgan
Jarrell Brantley
Rayjon Tucker

Unprotected
Mike Conley
Nigel Williams-Goss
Ed Davis
Miye Oni
Georges Niang
Tony Bradley
Justin Wright-Foreman (bummed to do this, he's my dude)

UFA, ineligible
Emmanuel Mudiay
Jordan Clarkson

[rugbyrugger23]

Wolves::

Protected:
Towns
Russell
Culver
Okogie
Gomez (RFA)
Beasley (RFA)
Reid
J. Johnson*

*I think he would be drafted in expansion draft for sure: he has looked good as Wolves lone vet and Wolves Organization must have a consolidation trade up their sleeve — and JJ is only expiring filler they have.

Unprotected:
Layman
Evans
Spellman
Vanderbilt
Nowell

UFA:
Evan Turner

[Scoot McGroot]

Indiana Pacers

Protected:
Victor Oladipo
Malcolm Brogdon
Dom Sabonis
Myles Turner
T.J. Warren
Goga Bitadze
Aaron Holiday
Edmond Sumner

First 7 was pretty easy, but the 8th spot is tough, as I could see an argument for any of Sumner, McDermott, or McConnell being protected, and wouldn't really argue any of them being here. I could see this really coming down to trying to guess what the expansion team would want, and trying to leave the least desired 2 of the 3 unprotected, or hoping that the unprotected guys remain unselected. Ultimately, I went with protecting Sumner as he's signed on one of those perfect expansion draft contracts of cheap, and team control for a couple years, while McConnell and McDermott are only one year guys in this situation. But, I could definitely see Sumner unprotected and one of those two protected instead. I just think the current front office has really invested in Sumner and is finally starting to see it pay off with his tenacious defense and long-range shooting starting to come in late this season.

Unprotected:
Doug McDermott
T.J. McConnell
Jeremy Lamb
T.J. Leaf
Alize Johnson (restricted free agent)

I'd wager that Lamb would be safe on the unprotected list with his injury and long recovery time. I could see one of our guys getting selected, though, with the tough decisions I had for the 8th protected spot. I'm hoping that McDermott's larger salary number keeps him safe, and that McConnell's lack of flash makes him less attractive? But, as soon as one guy is picked, I'm pulling the other one back, or all but Leaf back, If I can.

Ineligible (unrestricted free agents):
Justin Holiday
Jakarr Sampson

If Justin was under contract for next year, I would definitely have to consider him for the 8th spot protected as well. He has been simply tremendous, and I think we really hope he turns out to be a long-term addition.

[BLT]

Protected at all costs:
Zion
Lonzo
Ingram(rfa)
Jrue
Hart
Hayes
NAW
Reddick

Unprotected:
Nicola Meli

Free Agents:
Favors
Moore
Miller
Okafor
Frank Jackson


Honestly hate to see Meli go and think he would be a very easy pick for an expansion team.

[loserX]

Protected at all costs:
Zion
Lonzo
Ingram(rfa)
Jrue
Hart
Hayes
NAW
Reddick

Unprotected:
Nicola Meli

Free Agents:
Favors
Moore
Miller
Okafor
Frank Jackson


Honestly hate to see Meli go and think he would be a very easy pick for an expansion team.

Not to clutter the thread, but I believe Miller has an unguaranteed contract next year, so unless they've already made the decision to cut him, he won't be a free agent by the time of this (hypothetical) draft. In the end it doesn't matter a whole lot since he certainly wouldn't be kept over anyone on your protected list, but I imagine he should go on the Unprotected list, not the ineligible list.

[Scoot McGroot]

Protected at all costs:
Zion
Lonzo
Ingram(rfa)
Jrue
Hart
Hayes
NAW
Reddick

Unprotected:
Nicola Meli

Free Agents:
Favors
Moore
Miller
Okafor
Frank Jackson


Honestly hate to see Meli go and think he would be a very easy pick for an expansion team.

Not to clutter the thread, but I believe Miller has an unguaranteed contract next year, so unless they've already made the decision to cut him, he won't be a free agent by the time of this (hypothetical) draft. In the end it doesn't matter a whole lot since he certainly wouldn't be kept over anyone on your protected list, but I imagine he should go on the Unprotected list, not the ineligible list.

Jackson and Williams would also be restricted free agents, so eligible to be selected or protected. They would become unrestricted free agents if selected, though.

[nevetsov]

Phoenix Suns

Protected:
Ayton
Booker
Bridges
Rubio
Oubre
Cam Johnson
Jerome
Kaminsky (TO)

Unprotected:
Okobo
Jevon Carter
Lecque
Diallo (TO)
Saric (RFA)

Unrestricted/ Ineligible:
Baynes

Went with Kaminsky over Saric or Carter in the 8th slot, because he's a cost controlled rotation guy ($5m). Saric, while useful, is an unknown cost and keeping him may inhibit our ability to chase our other targets. Carter is a handy player, but I think we prefer Jerome long term, given Carter was linked to a trade at the deadline.

[HornetJail]

Charlotte Hornets

Protected:
Devonte' Graham
Miles Bridges
PJ Washington
Malik Monk
Cody Zeller
Cody Martin
Caleb Martin
Jalen McDaniels

Unprotected:
Terry Rozier
Nicolas Batum (please?)
Dwayne Bacon (RFA)

UFAs:
Willy Hernangomez (I thought he was RFA this year, coming off a rookie contract but spotrac disagrees. even if he is an RFA I doubt I'd protect him)
Bismack Biyombo

The tough one was Rozier. Realistically, I think our front office would keep him over Caleb Martin or Jalen McDaniels but I'd rather have the cap relief and playing time for Monk and the Martin twins, I've seen enough. I think an expansion team definitely takes Rozier, as they're not set up to win now, he could put up huge numbers and command a tank at an impressive level. He'd be on the books for 2 years $36.8M

[Texas Chuck]

Dallas

Protected:
Luka Doncic
Kristaps Porzingis
Maxi Kleber
Jalen Brunson
Seth Curry
Dorian Finney-Smith
Tim Hardaway Jr
Delon Wright

Unprotected:
Justin Jackson
Dwight Powell
Willie Cauley-Stein (if he opts in)
Boban Marjonovic

Toughest call for me was protecting Wright over Boban who I fully expect to be selected by the expansion team as he will obviously be an immediate fan favorite and give a bad team something to root for. I almost want to expose Wright and hope they pick him but I think Dallas does need him and he shouldn't be that difficult to move down the road.

Also more interesting players available already than I would have expected.

[ejftw]

Clippers

Protect
Kawhi
George
Lou
Zu
Bev
Mann
Shamet
Fondue

Unprotected
McGruder
Green (PO)
Motley/Coffey (2 way?)

UFA
Morris
Trez
Patterson
Noah
Reggie

Can't see anyone taking McGruder or a two way guy. Green could be a nice pick up for an expansion side at his low salary, but if he picks up his option, I think I'd protect him over Mann

[BarbaGrizz]

Memphis Grizzlies

Protected:

Ja Morant
Jaren Jackson
Brandon Clarke
Justise Winslow
De`Anthony Melton
Dillon Brooks
Tyus Jones
Jontay Porter

Unprotected:

Jonas Valanciunas
Kyle Anderson
Gorgui Dieng
Marko Guduric (top 40 protected SRP if new team selects him)
Grayson Allen
John Kanchar

UFA:
Josh Jackson
Yuta Watanabe

[sacking123]

Sacramento Kings
Protected:
De'Aaron Fox
Marvin Bagley
Buddy Hield
Bogdan Bogdanovic
Harrison Barnes
Richaun Holmes
Justin James
Nemanja Bjelica

Unprotected:
Corey Joseph
Jabari Parker (if opting in)

UFA
Alex Len
Yogi Farrell
Kent Bazemore
Harry Giles

Pretty straight forward and I'm doubting CoJo gets picked up unfortunately.

[getrichordie]

Question. Since the rules don't clarify, I can attach assets (draft picks, cash [max $3M]) to unprotected players as incentives for other teams to pick up, correct? In rules, it only discusses attaching assets to unprotected players you may want to protect.

Oklahoma City Thunder

-- Protected:

Dennis Schroder
Shai-Gilgeous Alexander
Darius Bazley
Steven Adams
Terrance Ferguson
Hamidou Diallo
Isaiah Roby
Abdel Nader

-- Unprotected:

Chris Paul
Deonte Burton
Mike Muscala (if opting in)

-- Unrestricted Free Agent(s):

Andre Roberson
Danilo Gallinari
Nerlens Noel