RealGM

Trades and Transactions board is going to be doing an expansion draft project where we imagine we are running a new expansion team starting play in 2015/16 and having to create our initial roster pulled from current NBA teams.

So in advance of that I'm trying to get the best possible idea of what 8 players each franchise would most likely choose to protect. And while last year we depended on our Trade board posters to provide us that list, this year we thought it would be more accurate if we consulted with the team boards.

So I would love to get your opinions itt on which 8 players you think the Nets would protect in an expansion draft. I am attaching a link to last year's project so you can see some of the criteria we used when assembling the expansion team. Other than the cap figures the rules would be roughly the same this year.

http://forums.realgm.com/boards/viewtopic.php?t=1348605

We'd also love to have any and all of you come participate in this project.

Protect
McC
RHJ
Thad
Brook
Bogdanovic
Joe
Larkin
Markel

Unprotect
Jack
Air Bargs
Karasev
Ellington
Reed
Boatright
Trob

Toughest decision for me was who to protect between Markel, Larkin, TRob. At the end of the day I don't think these guys are super coveted anyway and that better options will be available from unprotected guys on deeper teams.

Also thought about unprotecting Joe - he is older, declining. Decided to keep him as he is an expiring and we kinda need him to have a shot at the playoffs as realistic or remote as it seems.

Interesting project. I may jump in.

Edit: thinking about it more I might protect Jack and unprotect Larkin or Markel. I don't think a team would snatch them. Some deeper teams would definitely be unprotecting guys better than them.

Example:

Rockets:
Harden
Howard
Ariza
Brewer
Beverly
Lawson
Jones
Dmo
Capela
Dekker
Harrell
McDaniels

Spurs
Duncan
Leonard
Aldridge
Parker
Ginobili
K. Anderson
D. West
D. Green
B. Diaw
P Mills

Some of those guys would be unprotected and more valuable.

Protect:

Lopez
Bogdanovic
Young
Hollis-Jefferson
Joe Johnson
Shane Larkin
Jack
Markel Brown

Protect:
Lopez
RHJ
JJ
Larkin
Bogs
McC(i'll wait to see the results when healthy)
Jack
Reed

Is there a need to protect JJ given the size of his contract?
I suppose given a team with a clean slate wouldn't have salary concerns in theory. Then again, they would probably want to be as bad as possible year 1 and JJ might hurt in that regard. Seems they'd want youth and upside.

I'd say...

Lopez
Young
Bogs
RHJ
C.McC
Larkin
Ellington
T.Rob or M.Brown - torn on this one.

JJ - don't think anyone one would take his contract
Jack - tough one as he is our "best" PG but still a nergative on the court
Karasev - meh
W.Reed - only partially guaranteed with limited upside
Bargnani - another potential negative
Q.Miller - probably not gonna make the team

so for me its kind of odd timing. if we assume this is a preseason thing, then i wouldnt protect johnson, as him clearing would have gotten us under the tax. but now that we are under the tax, then keeping joe makes sense as he helps on the floor, you know he is gonna play 80 games and 2500 minutes and he matches any large salary should some trade fall in our lap.

im going to assume we are talking now, not the start of the summer. i think from there its pretty obvious. im protecting:

Lopez
Joe
RHJ
Bogs
Brown
Mcc
Larkin
Robinson

The rest i dont see the need to protect. I've already stated i didnt want thad back, so thats an easy one for me. Jack to me doesnt matter. i like him and he is a leader but he isnt really big now or long term and wont be back next year in all likelyhood anyhow. Reed/Boatright or those undrafted guys im not going to sweat over. karasev is the only on the fence guy for me, but coming off injury and us having alot of other young wings id part with him. Bargs can GTFO for all i care.

MrDollarBills wrote:Protect:

Lopez
Bogdanovic
Young
Hollis-Jefferson
Joe Johnson
Shane Larkin
Jack
Markel Brown

suprised not to see mccullough in there. he was our first round pick. id think he has more of a future here then say jack

lopez
bogs
young
hollis jefferson
larkin
brown
trob
mccullough

Prokorov wrote:

MrDollarBills wrote:Protect:

Lopez
Bogdanovic
Young
Hollis-Jefferson
Joe Johnson
Shane Larkin
Jack
Markel Brown

suprised not to see mccullough in there. he was our first round pick. id think he has more of a future here then say jack

I forgot all about him dude

Okay, I'll switch McC out for Jack