Who would the Celtics protect in an expansion draft?

[aefgogreen]

I feel like people don?t understand the impact White has out there even when he?s not shooting well. We?ve basically been amazing since the moment he arrived at the trade deadline in 2022 and it?s not like he even has a bad contract. 29/29 other teams would gladly take White off our hands at his given salary

I think they got it. I put him in my eight. I only asked if it's worth risking leaving him as other teams might not take a 31 year old. But I agree, it would be a mistake to not protect him.

[wdleehi]

I feel like people don?t understand the impact White has out there even when he?s not shooting well. We?ve basically been amazing since the moment he arrived at the trade deadline in 2022 and it?s not like he even has a bad contract. 29/29 other teams would gladly take White off our hands at his given salary

I think they got it. I put him in my eight. I only asked if it's worth risking leaving him as other teams might not take a 31 year old. But I agree, it would be a mistake to not protect him.

He also is a guy a new team may want to establish expectations and culture on what should be a younger team.   And he is a guy they could get a lot back for in a trade.   

[boscel33]

Assuming you could protect eight?

Tatum, JB, Neemis, White, PP, Walsh, Hugo, Hauser

Do you take a chance and not protect White, thinking that nobody would want his contract at his age? I think it?s too risky. I guess Garza is gone. I don?t like the idea of leaving Walsh or Hugo exposed.

I'd protect Garza over Walsh.

[aefgogreen]

I believe I agree with the 8 picked.   


Follow-up question, of those unprotected, who would be picked first by another team?   (Simons still a free agent)

This is a great question! I think it would be Garza

[slamtheking]

I believe I agree with the 8 picked.   


Follow-up question, of those unprotected, who would be picked first by another team?   (Simons still a free agent)

This is a great question! I think it would be Garza

at this point in the season, I'd say 75% Garza likely the first and 25% Minott.  Depends on the other team's needs and if they want a center that's a negative on D and the defensive boards.

[Goldstar88]

Assuming you could protect eight?

Tatum, JB, Neemis, White, PP, Walsh, Hugo, Hauser

Do you take a chance and not protect White, thinking that nobody would want his contract at his age? I think it?s too risky. I guess Garza is gone. I don?t like the idea of leaving Walsh or Hugo exposed.

I'd protect Garza over Walsh.

Why? He plays hard, but he?s not even good enough as a backup C. Walsh is 6 years younger and can guard multiple positions. He?s also shooting over 40% from 3pt.

[Moranis]

The C's are pretty easy for this, but a team like the Thunder or Spurs is a much more interesting discussion.

Like for the Thunder - SGA, Chet, Jalen are very obvious, and I'd assume they'd keep Wallace, Hartenstein, and Dort.  So that is 6.  But they have Mitchell, Wiggins, Joe, and Caruso, which 2 you keeping of those 4?  I'd probably keep Mitchell and Caruso, but it isn't an easy choice.

Or how about the Spurs - obviously you keep Wemby, Castle, Harper, Fox probably Vassell and Champagnie, after that which 2 you keeping of Barnes, Kornet, Johnson, Sochan, Bryant.  Here I'd keep the young guy Bryant and then probably Johnson, but that is very difficult with Barnes and Kornet.

[boscel33]

Assuming you could protect eight?

Tatum, JB, Neemis, White, PP, Walsh, Hugo, Hauser

Do you take a chance and not protect White, thinking that nobody would want his contract at his age? I think it?s too risky. I guess Garza is gone. I don?t like the idea of leaving Walsh or Hugo exposed.

I'd protect Garza over Walsh.

Why? He plays hard, but he?s not even good enough as a backup C. Walsh is 6 years younger and can guard multiple positions. He?s also shooting over 40% from 3pt.

Mainly because I think Walsh is a bust.  That said, Luka is a big who can also shoot the three. 

https://www.sports-reference.com/stathead/tiny/uGlLB

Stats are close, but Jordan is getting about 3MPG more right now.  Jordan is shooting over 40% from 3PT, but Luka is even better than that.


Look, wings are a dime a dozen as we should know, both Danny and Brad are infatuated with drafting them.  He might be 6 years older, but he fits in the age bracket for this team, which is also why I would not be upset if they traded White vs Simons.  Another plug and play swap.

[aefgogreen]

I feel like people don?t understand the impact White has out there even when he?s not shooting well. We?ve basically been amazing since the moment he arrived at the trade deadline in 2022 and it?s not like he even has a bad contract. 29/29 other teams would gladly take White off our hands at his given salary

I think they got it. I put him in my eight. I only asked if it's worth risking leaving him as other teams might not take a 31 year old. But I agree, it would be a mistake to not protect him.

He also is a guy a new team may want to establish expectations and culture on what should be a younger team.   And he is a guy they could get a lot back for in a trade.

White has been great for us.  And at the end of the day, I would protect him. However, I think if we were to trade him, we'd get less in return.

[Goldstar88]

Assuming you could protect eight?

Tatum, JB, Neemis, White, PP, Walsh, Hugo, Hauser

Do you take a chance and not protect White, thinking that nobody would want his contract at his age? I think it?s too risky. I guess Garza is gone. I don?t like the idea of leaving Walsh or Hugo exposed.

I'd protect Garza over Walsh.

Why? He plays hard, but he?s not even good enough as a backup C. Walsh is 6 years younger and can guard multiple positions. He?s also shooting over 40% from 3pt.

Mainly because I think Walsh is a bust.  That said, Luka is a big who can also shoot the three. 

https://www.sports-reference.com/stathead/tiny/uGlLB

Stats are close, but Jordan is getting about 3MPG more right now.  Jordan is shooting over 40% from 3PT, but Luka is even better than that.


Look, wings are a dime a dozen as we should know, both Danny and Brad are infatuated with drafting them.  He might be 6 years older, but he fits in the age bracket for this team, which is also why I would not be upset if they traded White vs Simons.  Another plug and play swap.

The problem with Garza is that he is not a good defender. Can?t protect the paint at all. This is the main reason why the Celtics biggest need is a backup center.

How can Walsh be a bust at 21 years old when he?s shooting 40%+ from 3pt and arguably the best defender on the team who can guard 1-4. Don?t understand that at all.

[boscel33]

Assuming you could protect eight?

Tatum, JB, Neemis, White, PP, Walsh, Hugo, Hauser

Do you take a chance and not protect White, thinking that nobody would want his contract at his age? I think it?s too risky. I guess Garza is gone. I don?t like the idea of leaving Walsh or Hugo exposed.

I'd protect Garza over Walsh.

Why? He plays hard, but he?s not even good enough as a backup C. Walsh is 6 years younger and can guard multiple positions. He?s also shooting over 40% from 3pt.

Mainly because I think Walsh is a bust.  That said, Luka is a big who can also shoot the three. 

https://www.sports-reference.com/stathead/tiny/uGlLB

Stats are close, but Jordan is getting about 3MPG more right now.  Jordan is shooting over 40% from 3PT, but Luka is even better than that.


Look, wings are a dime a dozen as we should know, both Danny and Brad are infatuated with drafting them.  He might be 6 years older, but he fits in the age bracket for this team, which is also why I would not be upset if they traded White vs Simons.  Another plug and play swap.

The problem with Garza is that he is not a good defender. Can?t protect the paint at all. This is the main reason why the Celtics biggest need is a backup center.

How can Walsh be a bust at 21 years old when he?s shooting 40%+ from 3pt and arguably the best defender on the team who can guard 1-4. Don?t understand that at all.

Does age matter in believing someone is a bust?

Anthony Bennett - Bust at 20
Kwame - Bust at 22
Darko Milicic - Bust before 20

What do they have in common, two were first overall and Darko was 2nd overall.

Walsh is a second round pick. 

As for his 3PT%, I'll play the wait and see, he's attempted 65 and made 28.  Josh Minott (who) has attempted 73 and made 32 for just a slightly higher % than Walsh in 9 fewer games.

I may eat my words, but third year in and aside from his D, not showing me anything, many times I think he looks lost out there.  He gives me the same deer in the headlights look that Kedrick Brown used to.  Who?  Oh yeah, 11th overall pick, busted out by age 23.

Let's not use age as a bust determining factor.

[Celtics2021]

Assuming you could protect eight?

Tatum, JB, Neemis, White, PP, Walsh, Hugo, Hauser

Do you take a chance and not protect White, thinking that nobody would want his contract at his age? I think it?s too risky. I guess Garza is gone. I don?t like the idea of leaving Walsh or Hugo exposed.

I'd protect Garza over Walsh.

Why? He plays hard, but he?s not even good enough as a backup C. Walsh is 6 years younger and can guard multiple positions. He?s also shooting over 40% from 3pt.

Mainly because I think Walsh is a bust.  That said, Luka is a big who can also shoot the three. 

https://www.sports-reference.com/stathead/tiny/uGlLB

Stats are close, but Jordan is getting about 3MPG more right now.  Jordan is shooting over 40% from 3PT, but Luka is even better than that.


Look, wings are a dime a dozen as we should know, both Danny and Brad are infatuated with drafting them.  He might be 6 years older, but he fits in the age bracket for this team, which is also why I would not be upset if they traded White vs Simons.  Another plug and play swap.

The problem with Garza is that he is not a good defender. Can?t protect the paint at all. This is the main reason why the Celtics biggest need is a backup center.

How can Walsh be a bust at 21 years old when he?s shooting 40%+ from 3pt and arguably the best defender on the team who can guard 1-4. Don?t understand that at all.

Does age matter in believing someone is a bust?

Anthony Bennett - Bust at 20
Kwame - Bust at 22
Darko Milicic - Bust before 20

What do they have in common, two were first overall and Darko was 2nd overall.

Walsh is a second round pick. 

As for his 3PT%, I'll play the wait and see, he's attempted 65 and made 28.  Josh Minott (who) has attempted 73 and made 32 for just a slightly higher % than Walsh in 9 fewer games.

I may eat my words, but third year in and aside from his D, not showing me anything, many times I think he looks lost out there.  He gives me the same deer in the headlights look that Kedrick Brown used to.  Who?  Oh yeah, 11th overall pick, busted out by age 23.

Let's not use age as a bust determining factor.

I do not know what you are watching.  In addition to his defense,  Walsh has the second-highest true shooting percentage on the team behind Luka Garza, and is our best non-center offensive rebounder.  He has been valuable at both ends of the court.

Future star?  Probably not.  Bust?  That label is shed and cannot be put back on.

[BitterJim]

Assuming you could protect eight?

Tatum, JB, Neemis, White, PP, Walsh, Hugo, Hauser

Do you take a chance and not protect White, thinking that nobody would want his contract at his age? I think it?s too risky. I guess Garza is gone. I don?t like the idea of leaving Walsh or Hugo exposed.

I'd protect Garza over Walsh.

Why? He plays hard, but he?s not even good enough as a backup C. Walsh is 6 years younger and can guard multiple positions. He?s also shooting over 40% from 3pt.

Mainly because I think Walsh is a bust.  That said, Luka is a big who can also shoot the three. 

https://www.sports-reference.com/stathead/tiny/uGlLB

Stats are close, but Jordan is getting about 3MPG more right now.  Jordan is shooting over 40% from 3PT, but Luka is even better than that.


Look, wings are a dime a dozen as we should know, both Danny and Brad are infatuated with drafting them.  He might be 6 years older, but he fits in the age bracket for this team, which is also why I would not be upset if they traded White vs Simons.  Another plug and play swap.

In an expansion draft, you need to consider what will make the new team want the player. A young, improving wing on a cheap contract would be way more likely to be taken than an older big on a minimum contract. Walsh's contract is also more team friendly (slightly cheaper, and while both have 1 year left after this Walsh's contract has a team option).

If an expansion team wants a player like Luka Garza, they can sign one in FA for the minimum. If they want a player like Jordan Walsh, they have to hope one is unprotected and use a pick.