I often don’t watch the NBA draft unless my team has a top pick, but I feel like the expansion draft will be must-see TV.
Presumably the current teams will be able to protect 8 players and can only have one player drafted per team.
Each of the two new teams will get 15 picks, so that means each of the 30 teams will lose one player to the draft.
Keep in mind two things: Trades will likely happen. The expansion teams can trade for protected players using the players that they draft. Also, the current teams will not necessarily by default protect their “best” 8 players. For example a team might choose to protect a player on a longer, better contract than a player who they feel is “overpaid” or might soon leave anyway.
Either way it’s going to be fascinating and I can’t wait to see it.