Feigan's 'Notes' column had this interesting 'nugget' in his assessment of the expansion list: http://www.chron.com/cs/CDA/ssistory.mpl/sports/2624594 They would like to give Mike Wilks another low-cost shot Protecting their own The Rockets put together their list of players protected from the expansion draft, employing as many strategies as nearly any team. The Rockets might have wanted to leave their big contracts exposed, but the Charlotte Bobcats are not likely to take anyone featured on Cribs unless it is for another team. They could have exposed players who don't play, hoping to limit the on-court damage. In the end, the Rockets likely did a bit of both. They protected Steve Francis, Yao Ming, Jim Jackson and Cuttino Mobley. They would like to give Mike Wilks another low-cost shot, and Bostjan Nachbar is worth another look at a relatively good price. That leaves two more players to be protected. Adrian Griffin, who barely played last season and might struggle to ever regain his form, is certain to have been left unprotected. But now it gets tougher. Eric Piatkowski fell almost out of the rotation and is likely to be unprotected. If he is unprotected, the Rockets would have to choose one of three frontcourt players — Maurice Taylor, Kelvin Cato and Clarence Weatherspoon — to protect. Cato makes the most money but was a starter and has just two years remaining on his contract. The Bobcats are not looking for contracts like Taylor and Weatherspoon's, and they are not expansion-team players, making them the next most likely to be exposed. The Bobcats must select 14 players, and league teams can lose no more than one player. For the Rockets, that most likely will be Griffin. Mike Wilks?
why would we need to protect him, and he a free agent. Restricted but it is mike wilks. I guess the rockets managment is dumb. By the way how many players can we leave unprotected?
There is fundamentally no maximum unprotected. You can only protect 8 but every team must leave at least 1 available. If you have fifteen 2004 contracts, you could theoretically protect 5 and leave 10 unprotected. As you mentioned, Wilks is a RFA and not part of the E-draft. Not sure why Feigen counted him, but he also told us the TE couldn't be used on a single player (Eddie Griffin) which was also incorrect.
GATER- You've said this several times, but it's not correct. RFAs must indeed be protected- if we leave Wilks unprotected, Charlotte may in fact draft him- in that scenariohe would become an unrestricted free agent, but Charlotte would hold his Bird Rights. Link Each of the 29 NBA teams may protect a maximum of eight players on its roster who are under contract or are restricted free agents at the conclusion of the 2003-04 season. .... Any eligible restricted free agent selected by the Bobcats shall immediately become an unrestricted free agent.
NIKE - Thanks for the RFA correction. However, I believe you are incorrect about the Bird Rights aspect. Wilks has only had a 1 year contract with HOU and thus does not meet the 2 year requirement for Early Bird. IMO, had Wilks been left unprotected it would have come down to how much of their cap $ CHA thought Wilks was worth vs how much of the MLE the Rox wanted to use on Wilks. Perhaps the Rockets have bigger plans for their MLE. UPDATE: I just thought this through further. How is Wilks restricted on a 1 year Rocket's contract? Why would he not be unrestricted and therefore not part of the E-draft? Each of the 29 NBA teams may protect a maximum of eight players on its roster who are under contract or are restricted free agents at the conclusion of the 2003-04 season. Unrestricted free agents are not eligible to be protected nor are they eligible to be selected by the Bobcats. http://www.nba.com/bobcats/news/draft_central_expansion_rules_summary.html
Has a definitive Rockets protected list been made public yet? Is Wilks really on the list? Cato will be protected; it is a no brainer. Cato has trade value, if the Rox really wanted to get him off the roster.
GATER- It was late and I was tired, I really meant Charlotte would have gotten his Bird Rights if he actually had any. Of course, they should have oodles of cap room, so if they want to give Mike Wilks that 6 year, $40 mill deal, they always could. I'm still not 100% on the Wilks free agency thing, but I'm fairly sure he is. Here's the Coon FAQ on restricted free agency... The current CBA provides restricted free agency on a limited basis. It is allowed following the fourth year of rookie "scale" contracts for first-round draft picks (see question number 38 ). It is also allowed for all veteran free agents who entered the NBA in 98-99 or later, who have been in the league three or fewer seasons Link Wilks spent 02-03 with Minnesota and Atlanta, and 03-04 with Houston, so I definitely think he qualifies. This also explains why all 2nd round picks are restricted free agents after year 2. So, provided: a.) We protect Mike Wilks on the X-list/ he does not get drafted and b.) Tender him a qualifying offer Mike Wilks will be our restricted free agent this offseason. I think Charlotte wants to draft guys like Wilks- he would count as one of their 14 required selections, but not cost them any money if they feel they have better options.
The list will not be made public -- NBA rules. Considering how publicizing the list could be damaging to team chemistry, it's a smart rule at that. Tim
Expose Wilks, hold onto Pike. Plenty of teams want him as a shooter, he could be usefull in trades if JVG really wants to cut him loose. As to Wilks, he only got PT when we traded Mooch and had no other option for a backup, and then again when Steve took a rest at the end of the season. Why bother? I like the guy, but his complete lack of a steady jumper is going to keep him out of the equation. Evan
Chemistry. Is that the thing the Pistons have and their Finals opponent lacks? How accurate, do you suppose, the 'revealed' lists have been?
sorry meant to add: http://www.charlotte.com/mld/charlotte/sports/basketball/nba/charlotte_bobcats/8917532.htm? Expansion List Players confirmed to be available to the Charlotte Bobcats in the expansion draft: ATLANTA: Alan Henderson, F-C, 6-9, 31. BOSTON: Chucky Atkins, G, 5-11, 29; Ernest Brown*, C, 7-0, 25; Brandon Hunter, F, 6-7, 23; Jumaine Jones, F, 6-8, 25; Michael Stewart, F, 6-10, 29. CHICAGO: Antonio Davis, C-F, 6-9, 35; Ronald Dupree*, F, 6-7, 23; Marcus Fizer*, F, 6-8, 25; Scottie Pippen, F-G, 6-8, 38; Eddie Robinson, F, 6-9, 28; Jerome Williams, F-C, 6-9, 31. CLEVELAND: Ruben Boumtje Boumtje*, C, 7-0, 26; Jason Kapono, F, 6-8, 23; Ira Newble, F, 6-7, 29; Kevin Ollie, G, 6-2, 31. DALLAS: Tariq Abdul-Wahad, F-G, 6-6, 29; Tony Delk, G, 6-2, 30; Danny Fortson, C-F, 6-8, 28; Antoine Walker, F, 6-9, 27. DENVER: Jeff Trepagnier*, G, 6-4, 24. GOLDEN STATE: J.R. Bremer*, G, 6-2, 23; Evan Eschmeyer, C, 6-11, 29; Popeye Jones, F, 6-8, 33. HOUSTON: Adrian Griffin, G-F, 6-5, 29; Eric Piatkowski, G-F, 6-7, 33; Maurice Taylor, F, 6-9, 27. L.A. CLIPPERS: Matt Barnes*, F, 6-7, 24; Keyon Dooling* G, 6-3, 24; Predrag Drobnjak, C, 6-11, 28; Eddie House, G, 6-1, 26; Josh Moore*, C, 7-2, 23. MEMPHIS: Troy Bell, G, 6-1, 23; Ryan Humphrey, F, 6-8, 24; Dahntay Jones, G-F, 6-6, 23; Bo Outlaw, F, 6-8, 23; Theron Smith, F, 6-8, 23; Jake Tsakalidis*, C, 7-2, 25; Lorenzen Wright, C, 6-11, 27. MIAMI: Brian Grant, C-F, 6-9, 32; Eddie Jones, G, 6-6, 32; Loren Woods* C, 7-2, 25. MILWAUKEE: Brian Skinner, C-F, 6-9, 28; Erick Strickland G, 6-3, 30. NEW YORK: Shandon Anderson, G-F, 6-6, 30; Penny Hardaway, G-F, 6-7, 32; Allan Houston, G, 6-6, 33; Moochie Norris, G, 6-2, 30; Cezary Trybanski C, 7-2, 24. PHOENIX: Howard Eisley, G, 6-2, 31; Jahidi White, C-F, 6-9, 28. PORTLAND: Omar Cook, G, 6-1, 22; Dan Dickau, G, 6-0, 25; Desmond Ferguson*, F, 6-7, 26; Eddie Gill, G, 6-0, 25; Ruben Patterson, F-G, 6-5, 28; Vladimir Stepania, C, 7-1, 28; Qyntel Woods, F, 6-8, 23. SACRAMENTO: Gerald Wallace, F, 6-7, 21. SEATTLE: Calvin Booth, C, 6-11, 28; Jerome James, C, 7-1, 28; Richie Frahm*, G, 6-5, 26; Vitaly Potapenko C-F, 6-10, 29. UTAH: Curtis Borchardt, C, 7-0, 23; Aleksandar Pavlovic, F, 6-7, 20. * Restricted free agent. If the Bobcats draft a restricted free agent, he immediately becomes an unrestricted free agent and his contract does not count against the Bobcats' salary cap. The team that loses that player is not allowed to re-sign him.
Looking thru that list, I would imagine these guys might become Bobs (Delk, Drobniak, and Pike are there as trade bait): Jason Kapono, F, 6-8, 23 Tony Delk, G, 6-2, 30 Eric Piatkowski, G-F, 6-7, 33 Predrag Drobnjak, C, 6-11, 28 Ryan Humphrey, F, 6-8, 24 or Dahntay Jones, G-F, 6-6, 23 Brian Skinner, C-F, 6-9, 28 Cezary Trybanski C, 7-2, 24 Dan Dickau, G, 6-0, 25 Gerald Wallace, F, 6-7, 21 Curtis Borchardt, C, 7-0, 23
On a more serious note... Is there a rule prohibiting us from doing a deal with Charlotte that includes an expansion pick? (I.e. trade them player x and tell them to draft Eddie Jones and we will take him)?
