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

[Fencer reregistered]

I didn't see rules for how to deal with player or team options, so I'm making that part up as I go along.

Also, I'm exposing Gordon Hayward only if I'm confident the drafting team won't actually take him. Otherwise, I protect him and expose Grant Williams.

If I do that, I offer an incentive to take Poirier over Williams.

Celtics keepers

Jayson Tatum
Jaylen Brown
Marcus Smart
Kemba Walker
Daniel Theis
Robert Williams
Grant Williams
Romeo Langford

Celtics exposed

Gordon Hayward (if he exercises his player option)
Enes Kanter (if he exercises his player option)
Vincent Poirier
Semi Ojeleye
Carsen Edwards
Javonte Green (but I don't think his salary is guaranteed)

Celtics FA

Brad Wanamaker

[gswhoops]

Golden State Warriors

Protected
Curry
Klay
Draymond
Paschall
Looney
Poole
Chriss
Lee

Unprotected
Wiggins
Smailagic
Bowman
Mulder
Toscano-Anderson

[WizardsWorld]

Wizards

Protected:
Beal
Hachimura
Bryant
Brown Jr
Robinson
Wagner
Schofield
Wall (I know this will be an unpopular opinion on this board but an expansion team wouldn't take him anyway, and it would create some really bad PR/negative feelings with Wall and potentially Beal towards the organization).

Unprotected:
Smith
Bonga
Pasecniks

UFA:
Bertans
Mahinmi
Napier
Payton

[pcbothwel]

Wizards

Protected:
Beal
Hachimura
Bryant
Brown Jr
Robinson
Wagner
Schofield
Wall (I know this will be an unpopular opinion on this board but an expansion team wouldn't take him anyway, and it would create some really bad PR/negative feelings with Wall and potentially Beal towards the organization).

Unprotected:
Smith
Bonga
Pasecniks

UFA:
Bertans
Mahinmi
Napier
Payton

no way is Bonga left unprotected while Robinson and Schofield are protected...zero chance.

[nate33]

Wizards

Protected:
Beal
Hachimura
Bryant
Brown Jr
Robinson
Wagner
Schofield
Wall (I know this will be an unpopular opinion on this board but an expansion team wouldn't take him anyway, and it would create some really bad PR/negative feelings with Wall and potentially Beal towards the organization).

Unprotected:
Smith
Bonga
Pasecniks

UFA:
Bertans
Mahinmi
Napier
Payton

no way is Bonga left unprotected while Robinson and Schofield are protected...zero chance.

Agreed. Bonga is ahead of Robinson, Schofield, and perhaps Wagner. Wall is dead last in line. I'd say the order of priority is:

Beal
Hachimura
Brown Jr.
Bryant
Bonga
Wagner
Robinson
Schofield
Ish
Pasecniks
Wall

I don't know what the rules are and exactly how many can be retained, but this is the order.

[HornetJail]

Wall (I know this will be an unpopular opinion on this board but an expansion team wouldn't take him anyway, and it would create some really bad PR/negative feelings with Wall and potentially Beal towards the organization).

I think everyone on the planet including Wall and Beal realize an expansion team isn't going to take Wall's contract.

Especially given the ridiculous reduced salary cap that expansion teams are given their first two years. Wall would take up something like 60% of their total salary cap in the first year

[gswhoops]

Protected:
Curry
Klay
Green
Wiggins
Chriss
Poole
Paschall
Smailagic

Unprotected:
Bowman
Lee
Mulder
Looney

Unrestricted:
Bender
Randle


Basically the same as thinkingwarriors (above)... with basically the same reasoning. Smiley is on shakey ground as far as being protected as I could see either Looney or Mulder getting that last protection spot also. But when it comes down to it, they spent 2x 2nd rd picks on the kid and he's super young, so I'm guessing they'll want to keep him around.

You think they protect Wiggins?

[psman2]

Protected:
Curry
Klay
Green
Wiggins
Chriss
Poole
Paschall
Smailagic

Unprotected:
Bowman
Lee
Mulder
Looney

Unrestricted:
Bender
Randle


Basically the same as thinkingwarriors (above)... with basically the same reasoning. Smiley is on shakey ground as far as being protected as I could see either Looney or Mulder getting that last protection spot also. But when it comes down to it, they spent 2x 2nd rd picks on the kid and he's super young, so I'm guessing they'll want to keep him around.

You think they protect Wiggins?

I see no way any team would take Wiggins for free. He is basically a replace level player even in his short stint in GS making 30 million a year. However his value comes into play as a salary holder that can be coupled with picks to bring in a good player.

If for some crazy reason the expansion team does take Wiggins, then that makes trading for another impact player making any significant amount of money impossible without sending out your core guys.

[gswhoops]

Protected:
Curry
Klay
Green
Wiggins
Chriss
Poole
Paschall
Smailagic

Unprotected:
Bowman
Lee
Mulder
Looney

Unrestricted:
Bender
Randle


Basically the same as thinkingwarriors (above)... with basically the same reasoning. Smiley is on shakey ground as far as being protected as I could see either Looney or Mulder getting that last protection spot also. But when it comes down to it, they spent 2x 2nd rd picks on the kid and he's super young, so I'm guessing they'll want to keep him around.

You think they protect Wiggins?

I see no way any team would take Wiggins for free. He is basically a replace level player even in his short stint in GS making 30 million a year. However his value comes into play as a salary holder that can be coupled with picks to bring in a good player.

If for some crazy reason the expansion team does take Wiggins, then that makes trading for another impact player making any significant amount of money impossible without sending out your core guys.

I see the point about trade ballast, but I don't think it's worth burning one of our "protected" spots because (1) like you said, there's maybe a 1% chance an expansion team would take Wiggins and (2) if they're willing to relieve us of a net-negative player making $30M a year for free, I'd happily waive goodbye rather than hang on to the slim chance that we can turn him + picks + non-core players into a superstar

[loserX]

Still no entries for:

Atlanta
Brooklyn
Cleveland
Detroit
Houston
Lakers
Milwaukee
New York
Philadelphia
San Antonio

If you're a fan of one of these teams, please ring in! (And if you're a fan of a team that's already been done, please feel free to submit a list anyway! Even if it agrees exactly with a previous fan's list; your opinions are important, and the votes will help babyjax with his tallies.)

[babyjax13]

Still no entries for:

Atlanta
Brooklyn
Cleveland
Detroit
Houston
Lakers
Milwaukee
New York
Philadelphia
San Antonio

If you're a fan of one of these teams, please ring in! (And if you're a fan of a team that's already been done, please feel free to submit a list anyway! Even if it agrees exactly with a previous fan's list; your opinions are important, and the votes will help babyjax with his tallies.)

Thank you, I was just about to do this!

[psman2]

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

This is how I would vote for Memphis as well. I like Val but we can afford to lose him with Dieng on board next year, and clears space in 21.

[Pharaoh]

Still no entries for:

Atlanta
Brooklyn
Cleveland
Detroit
Houston
Lakers
Milwaukee
New York
Philadelphia
San Antonio

If you're a fan of one of these teams, please ring in! (And if you're a fan of a team that's already been done, please feel free to submit a list anyway! Even if it agrees exactly with a previous fan's list; your opinions are important, and the votes will help babyjax with his tallies.)

Thank you, I was just about to do this!

Not sure on rules for Early Bird rights but:

Pistons protect:

Wood
Sekou
Kennard
Brown
Svi
Rose
Thomas
Snell

Blake is the only other guy signed through next season or beyond (not including 2-ways) but assume we have to leave 1 player unprotected.

Knight, Henson, Maker, Galloway & McRae are free agents

Sent from my SM-A520F using RealGM mobile app

[babyjax13]

Per team and player options, I will leave it up to people posting their rosters to make reasonable judgements about that.

[Rockazoids]

I'll protect
Ntilikina
Allonzo Trier(RFA)
Damyean Dotson(RFA)
R.J. Barrett
Kevin Knox
Ignas Brazdeikis
Kenny Wooten
Mitchell Robinson

Unprotected
Wayne Ellington
Elfrid Payton
Dennis Smith Jr.
Reggie Bullock
Julius Randle
Bobby Portis
Taj Gibson
If they take Randle than that's just more cap I have to use.
Going young & tanking 1 more year.

[pad300]

H
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:
...
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.

SAS Roster, Summer 2020
Under Contract : LMA, Gay, Mills, Lyles, Walker, Samanic, Murray, Johnson, White
RFA: Poetl,
Player Option: Derozan
Team Option: Metu
UFA: Forbes, Belinelli, Eubanks (2 -way), Weatherspoon (2-way)
Draft Rights : The only one of note is Nikola Milutinov

Assumptions: Demar opts out? I'm not too sure about that (who's going to give him 27.7 million next year?), but some assumption needs to be made... I think they will pick up Metu's option - he's cheap.

Protected : Walker, Samanic, Murray, Johnson, White, Poetl (RFA), LMA, Mills
Exposed : Gay, Metu, Draft Rights to Milutinov
UFA : Derozan, Forbes, Belinelli

[pad300]

SAS Roster, Summer 2020
Under Contract : LMA, Gay, Mills, Lyles, Walker, Samanic, Murray, Johnson, White
RFA: Poetl,
Player Option: Derozan
Team Option: Metu
UFA: Forbes, Belinelli, Eubanks (2 -way), Weatherspoon (2-way)
Draft Rights : The only one of note is Nikola Milutinov

Assumptions: Demar opts out? I'm not too sure about that (who's going to give him 27.7 million next year?), but some assumption needs to be made... I think they will pick up Metu's option - he's cheap.

Protected : Walker, Samanic, Murray, Johnson, White, Poetl (RFA), LMA, Mills
Exposed : Gay, Metu, Draft Rights to Milutinov
UFA : Derozan, Forbes, Belinelli

I forgot about Lyles... They would have to pick 2 from 3 (or 4 if derozan opts in) - Lyles, Mill, LMA (and Derozan if he opts in). I would pick Lyles and LMA..., which would make it :

Protected : Walker, Samanic, Murray, Johnson, White, Poetl (RFA), LMA, Lyles,
Exposed : Mills, Gay, Metu, Draft Rights to Milutinov
UFA : Derozan, Forbes, Belinelli[

[Knickfan1982]

I'll protect
Ntilikina
Allonzo Trier(RFA)
Damyean Dotson(RFA)
R.J. Barrett
Kevin Knox
Ignas Brazdeikis
Kenny Wooten
Mitchell Robinson

Unprotected
Wayne Ellington
Elfrid Payton
Dennis Smith Jr.
Reggie Bullock
Julius Randle
Bobby Portis
Taj Gibson
If they take Randle than that's just more cap I have to use.
Going young & tanking 1 more year.

In real life Randle would be protected as a face saving gesture but for the most part pretty easy decisions here.

[WizardsWorld]

Wizards

Protected:
Beal
Hachimura
Bryant
Brown Jr
Robinson
Wagner
Schofield
Wall (I know this will be an unpopular opinion on this board but an expansion team wouldn't take him anyway, and it would create some really bad PR/negative feelings with Wall and potentially Beal towards the organization).

Unprotected:
Smith
Bonga
Pasecniks

UFA:
Bertans
Mahinmi
Napier
Payton

no way is Bonga left unprotected while Robinson and Schofield are protected...zero chance.

Robinson's a keeper. Schofield I dont care.

[Topofthekey]

For the Pacers, almost identical to what another poster posted previously

Protected:

Victor Oladipo
Myles Turner
Domantas Sabonis
Malcolm Brogdon
T.J. Warren
Goga Bitadze
Aaron Holiday
TJ McConnell


Unprotected:

Doug McDermott
Jeremy Lamb
Edmond Sumner
T.J. Leaf
Alize Johnson


As mentioned by the other poster, the 8th spot could be used on any one of McDermott, McConnell, Lamb, or Sumner

I would of course ideally want to keep all 4 of team, but the rules say 8 spots only, so I ended up going with TJ McConnell

Lamb is injured, so that might protect him from being picked, and I'm hoping that Sumner manages to fly under the radar

Between Doug and TJM, Doug's contract is bigger (twice as big), so I'm exposing him instead of TJM


The only thing I might do differently is, I might be willing to expose Aaron Holiday or TJ Warren (or even Malcolm Brogdon, for example), if the expansion team is willing to offer compensation, or as part of some pre-agreed trade

For example, Pacers expose TJ Warren

Expansion team selects TJ Warren, expansion team sends Pacers a bunch of picks

Pacers flip the picks (plus other assets maybe) to a third team, for a player Pacers want