With lots of discussion about seemingly-inevitable NBA expansion, probably in Seattle and Las Vegas, it’s time for a nearly-annual question here at Blazer’s Edge. The Portland Trail Blazers have a strange mix of veterans on large contracts, and youngsters on rookie deals.
If the NBA were to expand this summer, the league would allow the Blazers to “protect” eight players, and any unprotected player could be drafted by an expansion team. Typically expansion teams can only draft one player from each team, so Portland would be at risk of losing two players to the two expansion teams.