The NBA season is on hiatus. NBC Sports is not – even if we have to venture into fantasy.
We’re holding a mock NBA expansion draft. Keith Smith is setting protected lists for existing teams. Kurt Helin and Dan Feldman will run two new teams as this project culminates in an expansion draft.
Current teams can protect up to eight players. Each team must make at least one player available. If selected, restricted free agents become unrestricted free agents. Pending options can be decided before or after the expansion draft at the discretion of the option-holder. Anyone selected in the expansion draft can’t return to his prior team for one year. Players entering unrestricted free agency and players on two-way contracts are essentially ignored.
We’re unveiling protected/unprotected lists by division (here is the Atlantic Division, Central Division, Pacific Division and Northwest Division). Players are listed with their 2020-21 salary. Up now, the Southeast:
Atlanta Hawks
Protected – 8
- Clint Capela - $16,000,000
- DeWayne Dedmon - $13,333,333
- DeAndre Hunter - $7,422,000
- Trae Young - $6,571,800
- Cameron Reddish - $4,458,000
- John Collins - $4,137,302
- Kevin Huerter - $2,761,920
- Bruno Fernando - $1,517,981
Unprotected – 4
- Brandon Goodwin - $1,701,793 ($100,000 Guaranteed)
- DeAndre Bembry – Restricted Free Agent
- Damian Jones – Restricted Free Agent
- Skal Labissiere – Restricted Free Agent
Ineligible – 3
- Vince Carter
- Treveon Graham
- Jeff Teague
Analysis: The Hawks protections are very straightforward. Every player they are protecting is either a rotation player, under team control for a while or both. No hard decisions here.
That means that Atlanta is leaving their restricted free agents and Brandon Goodwin unprotected. No major concerns over losing any of the four.
Charlotte Hornets
Protected – 8
- Terry Rozier III - $18,900,000
- Malik Monk - $5,345,688
- P.J. Washington - $4,023,600
- Miles Bridges - $3,934,320
- Devonte Graham - $1,663,861 (Non-Guaranteed)
- Caleb Martin - $1,517,981 (Non-Guaranteed)
- Cody Martin - $1,517,981
- Jalen McDaniels - $1,517,981 (Non-Guaranteed)
Unprotected – 3
- Nicolas Batum - $27,130,434
- Cody Zeller - $15,415,730
- Dwayne Bacon – Restricted Free Agent
Ineligible – 2
- Bismack Biyombo
- Willy Hernangomez
Analysis: Charlotte’s decisions were fairly easy. Terry Rozier, Devonte’ Graham, Miles Bridges and P.J. Washington are all core pieces. Despite his suspension, Malik Monk still has upside. And the three young forwards (Cody Martin, Caleb Martin and Jalen McDaniels) are locked in on low salaries for a while.
Keeping the three minimum salary forwards meant leaving Dwayne Bacon unprotected. Bacon had been out of the rotation and sent to the G-League, so he’s out of the plans for now. As for Nic Batum or Cody Zeller, the Hornets would welcome getting either big salary off the books.
Miami Heat
Protected – 8
- Jimmy Butler - $34,379,100
- Andre Iguodala - $15,000,000
- Bam Adebayo - $5,115,492
- Tyler Herro - $3,822,240
- Kendrick Nunn - $1,663,861 (Non-Guaranteed)
- Duncan Robinson - $1,663,861 (Non-Guaranteed)
- KZ Okpala - $1,517,981
- Chris Silva - $1,517.981
Unprotected – 1
- Kelly Olynyk - $13,198,243
Ineligible – 6
- Jae Crowder
- Goran Dragic
- Udonis Haslem
- Solomon Hill
- Derrick Jones Jr.
- Meyers Leonard
Analysis: Miami was really helped by having six players ineligible because they are unrestricted free agents this summer. That left just this decision point: Andre Iguodala vs KZ Okpala vs Kelly Olynyk.
Okpala is a minimum salary player, so that means he stays. Iguodala was just added and given an extension. He stays. That means Olynyk and his $13 million salary are left exposed.
Orlando Magic
Protected – 8
- Nikola Vucevic - $26,000,000
- Aaron Gordon - $18,136,364
- Evan Fournier - $17,150,000 (Player Option)
- Terrence Ross - $13,500,000
- Markelle Fultz - $12,288,698
- Jonathan Isaac - $7,362,566
- Mo Bamba - $5,969,040
- Khem Birch - $3,000,000
Unprotected – 5
- Al-Farouq Aminu - $9,720,900
- James Ennis III - $2,130,023 (Player Option)
- Melvin Frazier - $1,663,861 (Team Option)
- Gary Clark – Restricted Free Agent
- Wesley Iwundu – Restricted Free Agent
Ineligible – 2
- D.J. Augustin
- Michael Carter-Williams
Analysis: Orlando had seven fairly easy protections. Their five starters, sixth man, and their promising young big man in Mo Bamba.
That left Khem Birch vs Al-Farouq Aminu vs Wesley Iwundu. Aminu was left unprotected due to salary and coming off a knee injury. It’s unlikely he’ll be selected and the Magic will be happy to have him back. That means it came down to Birch vs Iwundu. It’s more likely Birch will be selected, given his low salary and skill as a big man, so Iwundu was left unprotected.
Washington Wizards
Protected – 8
- Bradley Beal - $28,751,774
- Troy Brown Jr. - $3,372,840
- Thomas Bryant - $8,333,333
- Rui Hachimura - $4,692,840
- Jerome Robinson - $3,737,520
- Admiral Schofield - $1,517,981
- Ish Smith - $6,000,000
- Moritz Wagner - $2,161,920
Unprotected – 3
- John Wall - $41,254,920
- Isaac Bonga - $1,663,861 (Non-Guaranteed)
- Anzejs Pasecnicks - $1,517,981 ($250,000 Guaranteed)
Ineligible – 4
- Davis Bertans
- Ian Mahinmi
- Shabazz Napier
- Gary Payton II
Analysis: The Wizards are taking a gamble. Most of the protections were pretty easy. Bradley Beal and Thomas Bryant are key players. Rui Hachimura, Troy Brown, Mo Wagner and Jerome Robinson are all on their rookie scale deals.
Then things get interesting. Leaving John Wall unprotected may seem crazy, given he’s a former All-Star. But Wall is coming off two lost seasons due to injury and will be 30 years old at the start of next season. He’s also owed $133 million over the next three seasons. Ish Smith and Admiral Schofield stay and the Wizards throw caution to the wind. It’s unlikely Wall will be selected, but just the chance of clearing that salary off the books is a gamble worth taking for Washington.
