Re: Interesting Insider article on the expansion draft

[Ryan W <ubiquitous_am_i@xxxxxxxxx>]

I forgot an underlying principle which I was following
but neglected to articulate.  Controlling Principle
#3:  You protect the players that, if they "put it
together," are most likely to come back and bite you
in the ass.  For these additional reasons, Kedrick,
Hunter, and Blount get protected....mainly because
those players are the ones who, if they put it
together, could come back and cause us to lose games
(that's bad, btw).  Battie, even if he puts it
together (who's to say that he hasn't already)
wouldn't hurt us that much....nor would James....Baker
and LaFrentz probably would but, as I stated below,
chances are the never get taken (and even if they do
the benefit to us in terms of salary savings is
probably more--provided we actually sign a good free
agent).

Ryan

--- Ryan W <ubiquitous_am_i@xxxxxxxxx> wrote:
> Good article, Mark.
> 
> Here are my thoughts on the expansion draft.
> 
> There are two controlling principles:  (1) Identify
> the players you don't, under any circumstances, want
> to lose.  (2) Identify the players that the Bobcats
> probably wouldn't want (for various reasons, be it
> talent-level or salary issues).
> 
> In the first category, the C's would place:
> 
> Pierce--no brainer
> Banks--1st rounder this year, as of now still in the
> organization's good graces...
> Perkins--same as above
> Jiri--he's in the plans as of now
> Jones--assuming he plays well; he's only 24, would
> be
> attrative for an expansion team, we gotta keep
> him...
> 
> In the second category:
> 
> Baker (regardless of how well he's playing, he'll
> never be picked up in the expansion draft--so you
> leave him unprotected.  And if he is?  Well we all
> get
> drunk and fantasize about what free agents we could
> pick up)
> Walter (I'd be shocked if the Bobcats picked him
> up...but if they want him, they can have him)
> 
> There could be others, but for now we'll assume
> Vinnie
> and Walter the only ones in this category...
> 
> Lastly, who are the players that will be free agents
> (and thus are the players we don't have to debate
> about protecting)
> 
> E Williams
> Mills
> 
> At this point, we have 5 must-protects, 2
> nobody-will-takes, and 2 need-not-be-protected.  By
> process of elimination, there are 6 players to be
> determined, with 3 spots left to be placed.
> 
> Let's go to the names:
> 
> James--really no reason to protect him, assuming
> Banks
> develops as anticipated; could be replaced easily
> Kedrick--his youth, cheap rookie contract, and body
> make him attractive to an expansion team
> Blount--same as Kedrick, but performing better right
> now, is 7 foot, has shown improvement and
> willingness
> to work hard
> Battie--a little injury-prone, but has a cheap
> contract (relatively speaking in terms of comparable
> talent).  Is the best of our centers when healthy. 
> Tough call on Tony, depends on how much you wish to
> save in salary.
> LaFrentz--makes a ton and depending on what
> Charlotte
> is willing to take on in salary, maybe he's someone
> we
> put out there knowing that he won't be taken.  As of
> now, however, he'll probably be kept...though, if
> taken, he would clear a lot of salary cap room
> Hunter--no salary cap savings here.  Would be
> attractive to the Bobcats, with his youth, giant
> body
> and cheap contract.  He does become an unrestricted
> free agent, however, upon being selected in the
> expansion draft...
> 
> So who of these three are left unprotected?
> 
> As I mentioned, I think James gets left unprotected.
> 
> He's just too easily replaceable, yet he would make
> a
> good addition to an expansion team.  Secondly, I
> think
> we leave LaFrentz unprotected as well.  First, I
> don't
> think they'll take him.  His contract is hugh and
> he's
> underachieved.  Assuming he doesn't explode this
> year
> (make the All-Star team, for example), I bet he's on
> the list (and that he doesn't get picked).  Lastly,
> I
> say Battie is left unprotected.  Unfortunately, I
> think he gets chosen as well....but we have to lose
> someone in this draft (since we're, all of a sudden,
> stocked with talent).  It's tough choosing between
> Hunter, Blount, Battie, and Brown, but, in the end,
> you have to go with value...what you lose as opposed
> to what you get.  Battie makes the most...his loss
> could be used to get
> better-than-we-would-have-gotten
> free agents.  Kedrick, Blount (I think) and Hunter
> are
> all free agents the year after next anyway and all
> make small change, so their places on the roster
> don't
> either harm the C's that much (in terms of salary
> cap)
> or benefit them that much if they were to leave. 
> Plus
> each could be chips (as expiring contracts) in some
> future deals...
> 
> Ryan
> 
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