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If there was an NBA expansion draft, which Rockets players would you protect?

Discussion in 'Houston Rockets: Game Action & Roster Moves' started by Clutch, Nov 18, 2010.

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  1. Clutch

    Clutch Administrator
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    We're not likely to see NBA expansion anytime soon, but given that we talk about the strength of the Rockets being "depth" this season, they would be hurt by an expansion draft. So if David Stern announced the "Las Vegas Fortune" were joining the NBA, who would you protect in an expansion draft right now?

    Couple of things to keep in mind: You can only protect a maximum of eight players -- the rest are eligible to be picked by Las Vegas. The Rockets will gain a trade exception in the amount of the salary lost if Las Vegas selects a player from Houston's roster.

    • Yao Ming
    • Luis Scola
    • Kevin Martin
    • Aaron Brooks
    • Shane Battier
    • Chase Budinger
    • Kyle Lowry
    • Jordan Hill
    • Courtney Lee
    • Jermaine Taylor
    • Ish Smith
    • Chuck Hayes
    • Brad Miller
    • Jared Jeffries
    • Patrick Patterson
     
    #1 Clutch, Nov 18, 2010
  2. Mr. Clutch

    Mr. Clutch Contributing Member

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    I think you start with these guys:

    Yao
    Brooks
    Martin
    Battier (EDIT: Change to Lee)
    Lowry
    Scola

    The core of our team. Plus, none are albatross contracts that an expansion team would avoid, so if we leave them unprotected, they have a good chance of getting taken.

    The last 2 would be between Ish, Chuck, and Bud. Tough choice. I guess I would lean to leaving Chuck unprotected and just hope the expansion team overlooks him.
     
    #2 Mr. Clutch, Nov 18, 2010
    Last edited: Nov 18, 2010
  3. Rashmon

    Rashmon Contributing Member

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    Yao Ming
    Luis Scola
    Kevin Martin
    Aaron Brooks
    Chase Budinger
    Kyle Lowry
    Jordan Hill
    Courtney Lee
     
    #3 Rashmon, Nov 18, 2010
  4. amaru

    amaru Member

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    Yao Ming-P
    Luis Scola-P
    Kevin Martin-P
    Aaron Brooks-P
    Shane Battier
    Chase Budinger-P
    Kyle Lowry-P
    Jordan Hill-P
    Courtney Lee
    Jermaine Taylor
    Ish Smith-P
    Chuck Hayes
    Brad Miller
    Jared Jeffries
    Patrick Patterson
     
    #4 amaru, Nov 18, 2010
  5. rockets934life

    rockets934life Contributing Member

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    Protect the ones in bold...

    Yao Ming - Obvious

    Luis Scola - Leader of the squad

    Kevin Martin - Difficult choice but an expansion team might jump on a scorer and pickup the contract. BIG TRADE EXCEPTION also important note.

    Aaron Brooks - Would get selected immediately due to low salary

    Shane Battier - Valuable trading asset

    Chase Budinger - Good, young talent

    Kyle Lowry - Three point guards, contract might make him less likely to be chosen.

    Jordan Hill     - Good, Young Talent

    Courtney Lee - Cheap contract that will selected asap.

    Jermaine Taylor - Expendable and good as gone

    Ish Smith     - Good, young talent

    Chuck Hayes - Expiring deal, tough choice

    Brad Miller - Won't be chosen

    Patrick Patterson - Good, young talent
     
    #5 rockets934life, Nov 18, 2010
  6. desi tmac91

    desi tmac91 Member

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    * Yao Ming
    * Luis Scola
    * Kevin Martin
    * Aaron Brooks
    * Shane Battier
    * Chase Budinger
    * Kyle Lowry
    * Jordan Hill
    * Courtney Lee
    * Jermaine Taylor
    * Ish Smith
    * Chuck Hayes
    * Brad Miller
    * Jared Jeffries
    * Patrick Patterson
     
    #6 desi tmac91, Nov 18, 2010
  7. Tizz

    Tizz Member

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    I'd protect Hill, Budinger, Martin, Scola and Brooks for basketball reasons. I'd protect Yao for cash cow global visibility reasons. The rest, I'd be happy to get the trade exception in return.
     
    #7 Tizz, Nov 18, 2010
  8. trueroxfan

    trueroxfan Member

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    can you explain this more? is this really what happens? they get to draft from nba players? or is this just a hypothetical to see who we think we should build our team from
     
    #8 trueroxfan, Nov 18, 2010
  9. rhino17

    rhino17 Member

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    Interesting thread

    Keep in mind everyone, a lot of this has to do with finances. No expansion team is going to be willing to take the contract of an injured Yao and put themselves in a financial hole to start their franchise or even a guy like Kyle Lowry. Older players are also usually not attractive. So, my list would be

    Protected
    Luis Scola
    Kevin Martin
    Aaron Brooks
    Chase Budinger
    Jordan Hill
    Courtney Lee
    Ish Smith
    Chuck Hayes


    Unprotected
    Yao Ming
    Shane Battier
    Kyle Lowry
    Brad Miller
    Jermaine Taylor
    Patrick Patterson
    Jared Jefferies
     
    #9 rhino17, Nov 18, 2010
  10. Clutch

    Clutch Administrator
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    I'm surprised that Patrick Patterson is left off so many lists... I would think he would be picked up by the expansion team for sure.

    trueroxfan -- Yes. This is simplified, but that is what happens in an NBA expansion draft. Existing NBA teams can protect 8 players and the rest go into a pool that can be selected by the expansion team. They can only select one player from your team. Here are the rules outlined on Charlotte's website from their expansion draft in 2004. That draft is how the Bobcats got Gerald Wallace (from the Kings).
     
    #10 Clutch, Nov 18, 2010
  11. mlwoo

    mlwoo Contributing Member

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    We have a winner!

    Nobody else wants Chuck. We could probably get him back. Buh bye Shane.
     
    #11 mlwoo, Nov 18, 2010
  12. xiki

    xiki Contributing Member

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    Interesting question.

    I'd take the following 8:

    Yao Ming
    Luis Scola
    Kevin Martin
    Aaron Brooks
    Shane Battier
    Chase Budinger
    Patrick Patterson

    But, I'm unsure of Kyle Lowry or Courtney Lee. If Lowry is deemed price worthy then I protect him. If not, Lee.

    And I think if the Fortune grabs JT he'll light up the slots!
     
    #12 xiki, Nov 18, 2010
  13. rhino17

    rhino17 Member

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    Yes, this is what happens when an expansion team enters the NBA
     
    #13 rhino17, Nov 18, 2010
  14. NIKEstrad

    NIKEstrad Contributing Member
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    Tough one, Clutch. Kind of re-affirms that this team is full of #3-5 type of roster players, but not enough 1s-2s.

    Multiple cheap years left -- protect or they're gone
    Jordan Hill
    Patrick Patterson
    Chase Budinger

    Short term but high impact/salary ratio
    Aaron Brooks
    Courtney Lee
    Ish Smith

    Veterans
    Luis Scola
    Kevin Martin

    That makes my protect/unprotect depth look like:

    Brooks/Smith [Lowry]
    Martin/Lee [Taylor]
    Budinger [Battier]
    Scola/Patterson [Hayes/Jeffries]
    Hill [Yao/Miller]

    Others I was torn on
    Yao -- High odds he'd get picked, if only for marketing. But, it may be about time to move on.
    Brad Miller -- I nearly swapped him with Kevin Martin, but I don't think both he and Yao would be selected.
    Chuck Hayes -- I'd hate to lose him, but other players are more worth protecting. He's not expensive, but not a big enough part of the future to keep around

    No protection
    Kyle Lowry -- I think there's a chance he's taken, but his value to salary ratio doesn't merit protection. If he was still on his rookie deal and Brooks had gotten an extension, their spots would be swapped.
    Shane Battier -- Same deal. Would hate losing him.
    Jermaine Taylor -- Cheap and young, but hasn't done anything.
    Jared Jeffries -- Please.
     
    #14 NIKEstrad, Nov 18, 2010
    1 person likes this.
  15. Mr. Clutch

    Mr. Clutch Contributing Member

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    Yao is an expiring contract, so why not take the risk? I can see protecting Lee over Battier...but he's just looked so bad.
     
    #15 Mr. Clutch, Nov 18, 2010
  16. J.R.

    J.R. Member

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    Keep the guys in red

    Yao Ming
    Luis Scola
    Kevin Martin
    Aaron Brooks
    Shane Battier
    Chase Budinger
    Kyle Lowry
    Jordan Hill
    Courtney Lee
    Jermaine Taylor
    Ish Smith
    Chuck Hayes
    Brad Miller
    Jared Jeffries
    Patrick Patterson
     
    #16 J.R., Nov 18, 2010
  17. trueroxfan

    trueroxfan Member

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    wow, i always assumed that they just had to start drafting players and start from scratch, but that would prolly take a decade to get out of...it would be like putting isiah in charge of the league


    ok then i guess i would protect
    yao
    hill
    aaron
    ish
    martin
    scola
    chase
    hayes
     
    #17 trueroxfan, Nov 18, 2010
  18. Rockets_4_life

    Rockets_4_life Member

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    This are the main guys I would protect:

    • Yao Ming- like it or not he is the franchise player at the moment
    • Luis Scola- his been the best player for us this season
    • Kevin Martin- still somewhat young and is a good scorer
    • Aaron Brooks- still young and a good scorer
    • Chase Budinger- good young talent, with great potential
    • Kyle Lowry- ctrls the tempo of the game off the bench
    • Jordan Hill- good young talent, with great potential
    • Patrick Patterson- good young talent, with good potential
     
    #18 Rockets_4_life, Nov 18, 2010
  19. rhino17

    rhino17 Member

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    I agree, but Jermaine Taylor is also an ideal expansion pick candidate. This team has a lot of depth that an expansion team would like to take from, gotta give something up I guess.
     
    #19 rhino17, Nov 18, 2010
  20. Stevierebel

    Stevierebel Contributing Member

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    Luis Scola
    Kevin Martin
    Aaron Brooks
    Chase Budinger
    Kyle Lowry
    Jordan Hill
    Courtney Lee
    Patrick Patterson

    I'm keeping these 8.
     
    #20 Stevierebel, Nov 18, 2010
    Last edited: Nov 18, 2010
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