2004 Charlotte Bobcats expansion draft

The expansion draft for the construction of the Charlotte Bobcats, the 30^th NBA franchise, was held on June 22, 2004. The Bobcats selected 19 players from other teams' unprotected players lists and constructed their squad for their inaugural season.

elected players

Notes::1 note label|note01|1|^ Has never played a game for the Bobcats.:2 note label|note02|2|^ Restricted Free Agent:3 note label|note03|3|^ Released by the Bobcats without playing a game, but played for them in 2006.:4 note label|note04|4|^ Still playing for the Bobcats.

Draft rules

A. Player Selection
* The Bobcats would select a minimum of 14 players who are under contract or restricted free agents for the 2004–05 season.
* The Bobcats may select no more than one player from each team.
* The Bobcats could only select players that were left unprotected by an NBA team.
* Each of the 29 NBA teams might protect a maximum of eight players on its roster who were under contract or were restricted free agents at the conclusion of the 2003–04 season.
* Each of the 29 NBA teams would designate the players on its roster who were eligible for selection by the Bobcats.
* Each of the 29 NBA teams must have designated at least one player on its roster to be eligible for selection by the Bobcats, even if the team did not have eight players under contract or as restricted free agents for the 2004–05 season.
* Any player under contract selected by the Bobcats would immediately be placed on the Bobcats roster.
* Any eligible restricted free agent selected by the Bobcats would immediately become an unrestricted free agent.
* Unrestricted free agents were not eligible to be protected nor were they eligible to be selected by the Bobcats.

B. Pre-Expansion Draft Trades
* Teams would be permitted to enter into pre-Expansion Draft trades in which Charlotte agrees to select or not select certain unprotected players.

C. Salary Cap
* Charlotte would be permitted to select players in the Expansion Draft without regard to the Salary Cap.
* Charlotte would have a Salary Cap in its first season equal to 66% of the Salary Cap applicable to the rest of the league and a Salary Cap in its second season equal to 75% of the Salary Cap applicable to the rest of the league.
* Charlotte would be permitted to sign any restricted free agent it selects in the Expansion Draft using the same “Bird,” “Early Bird” or “Non-Bird” Exception that the player’s prior team would have had.
* Compensation paid to a selected player under a contract protected for lack of skill would be excluded from Charlotte’s Team Salary if the player’s contract is terminated (via the waiver procedure) prior to the start of the 2004–05 season.
* A team with a Team Salary above the Salary Cap would receive a Trade Exception to replace a player (other than a restricted free agent) selected from its unprotected list.

D. Post-Expansion Draft Transactions
* A team would not be permitted to reacquire a player that it lost in the Expansion Draft prior to the expiration of one year from the date of the Expansion Draft, unless the player was waived and not claimed by any other team. [ [http://www.nba.com/bobcats/news/draft_central_expansion_rules_summary.html] Expansion Draft Rules]

Pre-Expansion Draft trades

*Bobcats traded 4^th and 33^rd picks in 2004 NBA Draft to the Los Angeles Clippers for the 2^nd pick in 2004 Draft (later that pick turned to Emeka Okafor). Bobcats also agreed to the select Predrag Drobnjak in the expansion draft.

*Bobcats acquired a future first round pick (later that pick turned to Sean May) and cash from the Phoenix Suns for agreeing to select Jahidi White in the expansion draft.

Expansion Draft strategy of the Bobcats

Bobcats front office generally preferred to pick restricted free agents and young players with short term contracts. They decided to keep huge salary cap space, so that they can use it later to sign or trade for a superstar. They stayed away from the unprotected experienced stars with loaded contracts, such as Jerry Stackhouse of the Washington Wizards, Antoine Walker of the Dallas Mavericks, Eddie Jones and Brian Grant of the Miami Heat, Allan Houston of the New York Knicks, and Antonio Davis of the Chicago Bulls

Bobcats front office used a "building through draft" strategy, so they did not go along with proven veterans, they invested on youngsters coming from either upcoming NBA drafts and the expansion draft. For example, Gerald Wallace whom they've picked from Sacramento Kings steadily turned into an all-around star and signed a lucrative 6 year $57 millions deal with the Bobcats on July 18, 2007. Some columnists had claimed that the Kings should have protected "potentially an all-star" Wallace and exposed Chris Webber, the star of the team who had 4 years and roughly $80 millions left in his maximum contract since Bobcats would have never picked him.

References