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 Spurs 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.

1. Duncan
2. Kawhi
3. LMA
4. Green
5. Parker
6. Mills
7. Anderson
8. Manu

I almost left Manu off the list but the reality is we can't afford to leave him unprotected, mostly for PR reasons.

Nolan wrote:1. Duncan
2. Kawhi
3. LMA
4. Green
5. Parker
6. Mills
7. Anderson
8. Manu

I almost left Manu off the list but the reality is we can't afford to leave him unprotected, mostly for PR reasons.

Yep.

Real world, you could see a collusion issue, with say both Duncan and Manu publically promising to retire if they were drafted, and then SAS leaving them off the list. The NBA would freak, but they can't stop someone from retiring... As an expansion draft scenario for the T&T board though, I can see them wanting to ignore such shenanigans (although they might even extend to guys like David West, Diaw and even Parker)... I pretty much agree with the 8 posted, but not the order, and I have included 9 and 10 for the scenario above


1. Duncan
2. Kawhi
3. LMA
4. Green
5. Parker
6. Manu
7. Anderson
8. Mills
9. Diaw
10. West

Real world: Would offer cash for a team to pick Jimmer.

World where that can't happen:

Protect:

Kawhi
LMA
Green
Duncan
Parker
West
Ginobili
Anderson

Can't let Tim, Manu or David go when they gave up a ton of money to be part of the team. Danny, Kawhi and LMA are the workhorses for the next four years, so you don't wanna let them go. Anderson is a draft pick and looks pretty good.

Only debate is which PG to protect. Tony is the best, but he's also free up a ton of salary if he went elsewhere. Mills is a really good fit in his current role, but he doesn't project to be a future impact player. McCallum is young and under team control for a couple more years, but he's probably replaceable. In the end, the Spurs get to keep at least one backup PG, so it's not all lost.

Better question is maybe who would you expose? Marjanovic- know nothing about. I read he had 17 rebounds in a game in the Euro league which hadn't been done for three years. he's 7 foot 290. I thought it was dumb resigning Bonner. Jimmer just not athletic enough for NBA. McCallum not a very good player. Mills - on the fringe- was awful last year, but only played 51 games. Reggie Williams has become a complete nnon-factor.

Note; Reggie Williams - He is the state of VA all-time D1 scoring leader! He averaged close to 30 pts his last two years at VMI. He signed with a French team out of college. He signed with GS in 2009-10- averaged 15.6 ppg on 32 min and 50%FG. From there it went all down hill. What happened?