Aggressive Expansion

[MexicanMamba]

Word Count: 1,137





With only about 1,000 words to write to gain my remaining 5 media points, I decided to do something fun. I’m going to take control of an expansion team and perform a 10 round expansion draft for them. I will give each current team 3 roster spots to save players and see what I can build. That is probably a low allocation of saves for the teams, but for this exercise why not give this hypothetical roster a boost. I’ll also be making two other rules: That the team must stay below the luxury tax line, to keep it more interesting. Or, to make it simple, a cap of $215 million in salary. Also, only one player from any team.



Protected Players:



Alpha



Spurs- Montoya, Hernandez, Whitley

Clippers- Safi, Pearson, Dort

Knicks- Kapp, Bower, Shaw

Nuggets- Bey, Siva, Throckmorton

Nets- Andrews, Fang, Kostas

Lakers- Poole, Shores, Stark

Rockets- Morelock, Suggs, Silva

Mavericks- Kuyekendall, Gauss, Nnaji

Pacers- Herb, Nix, Gamez

Suns- He Hor, Asher, Canfield

Blazers- Kuric, Dieng, Bailey

Bulls- THT, Sneed, Lizarraga

Pelicans- Lomax, Veloz, Harrison



Omega



Kings- Addington, Myers

Bucks- Sims, Wade, Williams

Wizards- Menendez, Pardo, Beaton

Pistons- Jones, Folse, Caruso

Magic- Manley, Parris, Adkison

Wolves- Thybulle, Moody, Durrenberger

Thunder- Blakeney, Cuevas, Lough

Heat- Dunkle, Milne, Gillam

Cavs- Wagers, Warley

Raptors- Mobley, Honeycutt, Johnston

76ers- Kickingstallionsims, Geronimo, Mathurin

Hawks- Dixson, Gordon, Williams

Jazz- Romero, Baker, Kim







New Team:



Golden State Warriors



Let’s bring basketball back to Oakland!



Starting Cap: $215,000,000



Round 1: Danny Campbell, PF, Clippers ($65,441,280)



I figure, why not go for talent right away and see if you cannot build a team that can compete for a playoff spot? Campbell’s contract expires after next season, so he is not a massive contract that will hinder any long-term plans. DC is a guy that could put up MVP numbers when he is the primary option on a team and that should not change in his final season, even with another camp hit that is sure to be coming.



Remaining Cap: $149,558,720



Round 2: Emoni Bates, SF, Pistons ($47,500,000)



Bates is an interesting player. Still only 24-years old with very good potentials, though camp hits have made him lesser at his peak. Still, he is under contract long-term, has plenty of room to grow with high-level attributes offensively and defensively. I would anticipate his next camp putting him at the full blue powers, making him a very useful two-way player with young legs.



Remaining Cap: $102,058,720



Round 3: Terrance Lewis-Weeks, SG, Jazz ($14,245,026)



The first fully future pick here. The Jazz had a couple of worthy players for this spot since they have so many talented youngsters and could not protect them all. Weeks is the odd man out in Utah but fitting like a glove in Golden State. Some training or positive camps are needed soon to fix a couple problem areas, but he’s a great athlete, can shoot, and even adds a nice starting point on defense to build from. Best of all, he’s still cheap for another two seasons and on his rookie deal.



Round 4: Kraig Cornett, C, Nuggets ($36,500,000)



Like Campbell, this is a move for an expiring contract to help fill out a strong starting five. Cornett isn’t likely to change fortunes, but he is a big, strong, dangerous presence down low. The perfect type of enforcer to play next to Campbell, who has elite traits but lacks size. He averages 19 points and 7 rebounds along with over 3 assists per game with the Nuggets this season, so he is a very versatile player.



Remaining Cap: $65,558,720



Round 5: Kalin Lucas, PF, Raptors ($8,100,918)



A lottery pick this past season, Lucas is one of those green potential rookies that is a stone’s throw away from blue potential. With 3 more seasons on his contract after this one, it’s a player that the Warriors could be patient with and allow to grow. And maybe pop some points into to up some potentials to go along with his A’s in INS, DRB, and BLK.



Remaining Cap: $57,457,802



Round 6: Carmelo Williams, PG, Bucks ($40,950,000)



Melo is a wing player for the Bucks, currently listed as a SF. As you’ll notice, I am putting him at PG for the Warriors. Williams is not as young as Emoni Bates but has the same contract length due to being in the same draft class. His B potential in passing means he gets this spot since there are not many fits in the expansion pool that really make sense in the PG spot. He has great size at 6’8” and could be a matchup problem with some help around him.



Remaining Cap: $16,507,802



Round 7: Anas Mahmoud, C, Suns ($8,107,634)



The perfect Center of the future to play alongside Kalin Lucas. Only 19 years old, will be going into his sophomore season next year, blue potential, MASSIVE, strong, and skilled. His fouling needs to be worked on and fixed but that is not an issue which takes too much trouble to adjust. Great young piece that can continue to build with Lewis-Weeks as well.



Remaining Cap: $8,400,168



Round 8: Kevin Khan, SG, Pelicans ($3,946,911)



Much like Yancey, Khan is a cheap youngster who has a few B potentials sprinkled in along with good size for a wing, who is cost controlled for 3 more seasons. Why not take a few chances on something of a lottery pick? Or at the very least, maybe Khan can become useful as trade ammunition in short order.



Remaining Cap: $4,453,257



Round 9: Joshua Hodgkins, C, Knicks ($2,161,976)



A recent 2nd round pick who immediately jumped to full green potential. Worthy of a flyer here, even if the roster already has its fill of young bigs to develop. I am always looking for tradeable assets and Hodgkins could potentially be one.



Remaining Cap: $2,291,281



Round 10: Lane Kuehl, PG, Thunder ($2,161,976)



So, uh, well … he’s about the only guard or wing that can fit into this remaining cap space. So, I cannot think of a better reason to add him than that! Plus, since he is a 2nd round pick, his contract is up after the season or can be easily and immediately cut!



Remaining Cap: $129,305



And there you have it! 10 rounds, 10 players, New team, and with 5 extra roster spots to play around in free agency with and for a draft pick or two.



Starting Lineup:



C: Kraig Cornett

PF: Danny Campbell

SF: Emoni Bates

SG: Terrance Lewis-Weeks

PG: Carmelo Williams



Seeing it all here, probably should have spent the money I used on Campbell better since this lineup might only fight for a low playoff spot in the Omega conference but has little high-end upside. Overall though? I think this would be a hell of a starting point for a new franchise.



End scene.



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[AngryBanana]

Only two players for the Cavs were saved.


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[greepleairport]

Golden State would be…kinda proud. Certainly happy to welcome DC.

+5pts


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