Rumors are ramping up that the NBA may add two more expansion teams in Vegas and Seattle. The last time the NBA did an expansion draft, they allowed teams to protect 8 players. Who do you think we should protect if this happens? My 8 would be Jalen Green Jabari Smith Alperen Sengun Kevin Porter Jr Jae'Sean Tate Tari Eason Josh Christopher Tyty Washington Odd men out that you could debate are Eric Gordon, Usman Garuba, and Kenyon Martin Jr. Losing EG without getting an asset would suck but I have trouble justifying protecting him over a young guy. Garuba just hasn't shown me enough yet and as much as I like KJ Martin, he requested that trade anyway and I don't think he yet has a ton of trade value so I'm ok losing him. I'd imagine KJ would be picked up and EG might depending what other veterans are available. Garuba would be debatable. What do you think?
By the time either/both are ready to draft’m’selves some players EGo might be retired and all the young guys on second contracts.
Jalen Green Jabari Smith Scoot Henderson Ty Ty Sengun Tari Atari Eason Garuba Josh Christopher sorry kpj and tate
Yeah if it were to happen the teams wouldn't be implemented for another 2-3 years I imagine, at that point our team would be totally different Top 8 valued players on the team today would be something like Green Smith Sengun Eason Porter Martin Christopher Garuba or Washington
In order: 1. Jalen Green 2. Jabari Smith Jr. 3. Kevin Porter Jr. 4. Alperen Sengun 5. Tari Eason 6. Josh Christopher 7. TyTy Washington Jr. 8. Kenyon Martin Jr. Available Eric Gordon Jae'Sean Tate Garrison Mathews David Nwaba Daishen Nix Usman Garuba Bruno Fernando Willie Cauley-Stein Boban Marjanovic Marquese Chriss Trey Burke Sterling Brown Trevor Hudgins
Honestly there are only a handful of players I would care about keeping. Jalen Green Jabari Smith Jr. Alperen Sengun Tari Eason I would rather not lose Ty Ty Washington but at the end of the day it isn't a major loss. I don't really care about Kevin Porter Jr. because by the time the Rockets are serious, Porter will be making market value anyway and I have concerns about his off the court issues, effort on the court and his fit. Josh Christopher has a lot of ability, but he is very limited as a playmaker and somewhat as a shooter. Eric Gordon is dead man walking. Kenyon Martin Jr. is dead man walking II. I don't really care about the rest honestly. I am mostly hoping to get one more top 5 pick and then can worry about building around the core of Jalen and Jabari and hopefully one of Sengun or Eason proves to be a long term starter. I can always fill in holes later with the Nets picks.
Green Smith Eason Sengun Christopher Garuba Nix Washington Assuming EG will be traded. KPJ and Tate only ones of value unprotected, but they are/will be on bigger contracts.
6 men important : (in order) 1.JGreen 2.Alpi 3.Jabari 4.KPJ 5.Tari 6.JayGup I care about the other players except Dallas-rejects but Rockets should keep first this 6 players as core.
Considering the picks we're expected to tack onto our current roster in upcoming years, we have to be prepared to part with some really valuable pieces. This situation will suck regardless.
I initially thought that it would suck only being able to protect 8 guys but after reading the roster I think they should have the expansion draft this afternoon. Might get rid of a contract or two.
This is where I'm at. We have two tiers on this team: potential and journeyman. This list preserves the most potential. Gordon is in a category all to his own and I would assume we would trade him for pennies on the dollar before letting him go for nothing,
Imagine the NBA being like hey guys, real quick before the season starts you have to pick 8 guys and the other ones are open to being taken by these new teams we're creating. Nah but for real between free agency, a draft pick and being able to pluck from G league or world leagues....why would this be necessary at all? We're talking about adding 30 players to the league. Pretty sure it could be done with very little effort or dramatic scenarios of losing a player.