Who would the Suns protect in an Expansion Draft?

I’m bored. It’s July, and let me tell you, it’s quite something out here in the desert. Yesterday, the thermometer nearly burst at 118° in the Valley of the Sun. Safe to say, I’ve become a professional indoor enthusiast. With nothing but baseball on, I’m desperately seeking ways to entertain myself that don’t involve melting into a human puddle.

Who’s up for a hypothetical chat? It’s a great way to kill some time and keep our brains from turning to scrambled eggs.

Rumor has it that the NBA might expand, with Vegas getting a team and Seattle making a comeback. No dates have been set yet, but it got my gears turning: If this expansion were to happen this offseason, who would the Phoenix Suns cling to like their favorite pair of lucky socks? Who would be protected? And who would they put on the market for these teams to choose from?

Let’s dive in and figure out which eight players the Suns would shield if an Expansion Draft were happening tonight on TNT. Ready, set, speculate!

Primer on Expansion Draft Rules

Alright, picture this: we’re diving into a universe where an Expansion Draft is the stuff of dreams, but the rules? Oh, they’re as real as the second apron restrictions we’re feeling right now. Here’s a rundown of how an expansion draft goes down:

• Each existing NBA team protects eight players
• The expansion team gets to select one unprotected player from 14 teams
• Each team can only lose one player
• Unrestricted free agents are considered unaffiliated and thus do not need to be protected
• Teams get no immediate compensation for their lost player but do get a trade exception equivalent to the drafted player’s salary

Seeing as in this game both the Seattle and Vegas franchises would be drafting, the possibility would exist that the Suns would lose two players.

Who would the Suns protect?

Now it’s time to speculate the answer to the big question: Who would the Suns protect in an Expansion Draft? There are layers to this...

Untouchable Core

• Devin Booker
• Kevin Durant
• Bradley Beal

This could be fun, right? In theory, you don’t let these guys walk. Or do you? Bradley Beal has that annoying no-trade clause in his contract. Is this a chance for an out? You just let him walk for nothing in return? And Durant? He blocked me on Twitter, so that alone could be reasoning for dismissal, right? I kid KD, I kid.

The Depth

• Grayson Allen
• Royce O’Neale
• Jusuf Nurkic

The Suns wouldn’t comprise their depth, I don’t think, by making any of these guys available. All are on quality contracts that can be used for trade pieces if need be. The team wouldn’t let them simply walk away for nothing. Would they?

The Upside Kid

• Ryan Dunn

The Suns just drafted this guy and I want to see what he can bring. We need defense and upside, both of which he brings. If I were the Suns, I would not make him available on the open market for an expansion team to choose from. Expansion Drafts typically gobble up young upside plays, so I’m tucking him in at night and singing him some old Glen Campbell. “By the time I get to Phoenix...”

The Final Spot

In my humble opinion, everyone above this line is under lock and key. Sure, dumping Beal’s contract might seem tempting, but if you’re gunning for a title, you keep him. There’s nothing out there that can fill his sneakers. I’m not in “blow it up” mode, at least not yet. Check back with me next summer when I’m panicking over a lack of confetti.

So, we’ve got seven players safe and sound. Now, who else should the Suns put in their protective bubble? There are seven players left on the roster (because the Suns have yet to sign their final spot) for us to choose from:

• Bol Bol
• Nassir Little
• Monte Morris
• Oso Ighodaro
• Mason Plumlee
• Damion Lee
• David Roddy

There are some tough decisions here, so I’ll go through them one by one. Remember that the majority of these guys (in this scenario) will be back. Sure, you’re gambling with the possibility that a couple of these guys could be scooped up, but someone has to go on the market.

Bol Bol

We’re excited Bol is back. It’s a great signing for Phoenix, although part of me wonders why someone else didn’t snipe him in free agency. It’s probably because — checks notes — he is in the 1%tile in perimeter defense and 8%tile in rim deterrance, per BBall Index. So a big guy who can’t guard the perimeter and can’t guard the rim? Verdict: Unprotected

Nassir Little

Remember how we joked about letting Bradley Beal go unprotected because of his hefty salary? Well, the same goes for Little. Sure, he’s got potential, but let’s get creative here. How about we start advertising him in Seattle and Vegas with flashy ads and QR codes linking to his highlight reel? Get those fanbases a-buzzin’ about their new young star. We’ll even give him a lift to Sky Harbor and wave him off with a smile. Bon voyage, Nas! Verdict: Unprotected

Monte Morris

We need playmaking and ball security. Hello, Monte, glad you could come to Phoenix! He might be new to the team, but I am excited about the promise he brings to a team that desperately needed to hold on to the rock a season ago. Like a mid-level Third Eye Blind hit, I’ll never let him go. Verdict: Protected

Oso Ighodaro

This is a tough decision, folks. Using the same logic as Ryan Dunn above — where we’re all about holding on to the youth with potential — you’ve got to start weighing your options. For me, it came down to Oso or Monte. And in this showdown, I went with the proven player over the promise of potential. Sorry, Oso, but it looks like you’re on the block. Verdict: Unprotected

Mason Plumlee, Damion Lee, David Roddy

Respectfully, all are replaceable. Sure, I’d be a bit miffed if Seattle or Las Vegas snatched up Damion Lee, since I think he has a solid role on this team next season. But in our hypothetical world where we’re playing GM in an Expansion Draft that doesn’t exist, he’s on the unprotected list. So, let’s roll the dice and see who takes the bait. Sorry, Damion, but being involved in a fantasy GM scenario is a cruel, imaginary game. Verdict: Unprotected

Conclusion

Protected:

1. Booker
2. Durant
3. Beal
4. Allen
5. O’Neale
6. Nurkic
7. Dunn
8. Morris

Unprotected:

1. Bol
2. Little
3. Ighodaro
4. Plumlee
5. Lee
6. Roddy

Tell us what you think in the comments. Which eight players would you protect?