Foundational pieces: 30 notable NBA expansion draft picks

1) Slick Leonard, Chicago Packers (1961)
2) Archie Dees, Chicago Packers (1961)

With the four major U.S. pro sports leagues adding new teams at a rapid pace during the ’60s, expansion drafts became a regular occurrence with quickly ossifying regulations. The first NBA expansion draft happened in 1961, when the city of Chicago was awarded the league’s ninth franchise. The existing eight teams had to leave several players on their roster unprotected and the Packers chose one from each. The headliner was Dees, an All-American at Indiana University and #2 overall pick who had failed to live up to expectations. That trend continued in Chicago and after just 13 games, he was traded to the Hawks. Things worked out better with Leonard, whom the Packers selected from the Lakers. He was Chicago’s assist leader and second-leading scorer in their inaugural season, then took over as player-coach in his second season. None of the other six players made much of a dent for the Packers, due in large part to the franchise’s immediate instability and financial woes, which led to a Baltimore relocation after just two seasons.

3) Bob Boozer, Chicago Bulls (1966)
4) Jerry Sloan, Chicago Bulls (1966)
5) Red Kerr, Chicago Bulls (1966)
6) Jeff Mullins, Chicago Bulls (1966)

The third time was the charm for the NBA in Chicago, with the Bulls attaining prosperity where the Stags and Packers had previously failed. There were numerous factors in this success story and a uniquely advantageous expansion draft was certainly part of it. Amongst the 18 players selected (two from each of the existing nine franchises), the Bulls landed an All-Star power forward (Boozer), a cornerstone shooting guard (Sloan), a trade asset whom they used to land All-Star point guard Guy Rodgers (Mullins), and a head coach (Kerr, who retired as a player after the expansion draft and accepted the coaching job). This was thanks in large part to a shrewd negotiation from general manager Dick Klein, who convinced the league to reduce the limit of protected players from each team (from eight to seven) in exchange for a lower pick in the upcoming NBA Draft, which featured a relatively weak class. He also reportedly promised Red Auerbach to not select K.C. Jones if Auerbach would give him draft scouting advice.

7) Don Kojis, Chicago Bulls (1966) and San Diego Rockets (1967)

After turning down an NBA contract in 1961 to retain his amateur status, Kojis had stints with the U.S. national team and the AAU squad Phillips 66ers. His NBA career started in 1963 and was equally itinerant, suiting up for four teams in his first five seasons. That included becoming the first player ever selected in multiple expansion drafts and it happened in back-to-back seasons. The Bulls selected Kojis from the Pistons in 1966 and he was the starting small forward in their inaugural season. But he was also the third oldest player on the roster at age 28 and therefore expendable, leaving him available for the Rockets to select in 1967. Or maybe not. In a possibly apocryphal story, he was actually made available in 1967 due to the Bulls owner filling out the sheet while intoxicated and mistakenly writing his name. Either way, Kojis peaked in his first two seasons in San Diego, averaging 21.2 points and 9.9 rebounds per game while becoming the franchise’s first ever All-Star.

8) Chico Vaughn, San Diego Rockets (1967)
9) Freddie Lewis, San Diego Rockets (1967)

The creation of the ABA and its ability to poach NBA talent loomed large over the 1967 expansion draft. Due to two new franchises being added, the Rockets and the SuperSonics, 30 players were made eligible. In turn, they essentially became the first (unofficial) veteran free agents in NBA basketball history, with the option to sign with their new team or jump ship for the ABA. Two notable defectors were Vaughn, previously with the Pistons, and Lewis, previously with the Royals. Vaughn signed with the Pittsburgh Pipers and was the starting shooting guard in their 1968 title run. He was an ABA All-Star in that first season and one of the league’s premier three-point shooters but soon after suffered a knee injury that ended his career at age 29. Lewis joined the Indiana Pacers at age 24. He was the team’s leading scorer and first All-Star in their inaugural season, then became a mainstay in the back court for the next decade. Lewis eventually made two more ABA All-Star teams and won three championships with Indiana, including in 1972 when he was named Playoffs MVP.

10) Walt Hazzard, Seattle SuperSonics (1967)
11) Richie Guerin, Seattle SuperSonics (1967)

A two-time All-American and NCAA champion at UCLA, Hazzard seemed destined to continue his L.A. stardom when the Lakers selected him as a territorial draft pick in 1964. Instead, he found himself buried in coach Fred Schaus’ back court depth chart and was ready to demand a trade when the expansion draft provided him a cleaner out. Sure enough, going from a title contender in Los Angeles to a bottom feeder in Seattle provided a chance for Hazzard to shine, averaging a career high 24.0 points per game in ’67-’68 and making his one and only NBA All-Star appearance. But it was one-and-done for Hazzard on the Sonics, as he was traded in the subsequent offseason to the Hawks, coached by Guerin, a fellow 1967 expansion draftee. Previously a six-time All-Star with the Knicks, Guerin was 35 years old at the time of the expansion draft and had already announced his retirement. The Sonics attempted to lure him into returning but Guerin was unmoved, instead returning to the Hawks, this time as head coach, a position he would hold for five more seasons that included a brief comeback as a player.

12) Dick Van Arsdale, Phoenix Suns (1968)
13) Gail Goodrich, Phoenix Suns (1968)

A future Hall of Fame inductee and a player who was eventually nicknamed “Original Sun” for his import to the franchise? Not a bad haul for an expansion draft. Alongside the Bucks, the Suns selected 18 players in the 1968 expansion draft, half of whom would never suit up for the franchise. (It was also a convoluted new format, wherein teams could protect players gradually during the draft). Similar to Walt Hazzard above, Goodrich was a UCLA alum, drafted by the Lakers, frustrated by his lack of playing time in Los Angeles, and had his career boosted by unleashing his play making ability on an expansion team. Van Arsdale also saw his playing time and reputation boosted by moving from the Knicks to the Suns. Van Arsdale and Goodrich were the Suns’ leading scorer in the team’s inaugural season, while became the franchise’s first All-Stars. While Goodrich lasted just two seasons in Phoenix, Van Arsdale spent the last nine years of his career there, making two more All-Star teams, setting the franchise scoring record, and having his jersey immediately hoisted to the rafters after his retirement.

14) Jon McGlocklin, Milwaukee Bucks (1968)

In just their third year of existence, the Bucks were NBA champions, led by 1969 draft pick Kareem Abdul-Jabbar and trade acquisition Oscar Robertson. Only one Bucks expansion draft selection was on that title roster and that was McGlocklin, formerly of the Rockets. He was not only present but a huge part of the title run for that all-timer team, as the sixth man and fourth-leading scorer. Prior to Abdul-Jabbar joining the team, McGlocklin was Milwaukee’s biggest star in their inaugural season, etching his name into the annals of franchise history as “The Original Buck.” He scored the first ever basket for the Bucks, was their first All-Star selection, and wound up spending eight seasons with the team before retiring, playing in one more NBA Finals in 1974. At the time of his 1976 retirement, McGlocklin was third in Bucks franchise history in scoring and in assists, and had his jersey immediately retired. He went on to become a television broadcaster for the Bucks for over four decades.

15) Len Chappell, Chicago Bulls (1966), Milwaukee Bucks (1968), and Cleveland Cavaliers (1970)

In a journeyman career that was rare for players of his era, Chappell suited up for nine franchises in 10 seasons and became the answer to the trivia question “who is the only player to be selected in three NBA expansion drafts?” You certainly wouldn’t have predicted this type of career when he was an All-American at Wake Forest and drafted fifth overall by the Syracuse Nationals in 1962. After a consistent stretch early in his career with the Knicks, including an All-Star appearance, Chappell’s career went haywire. The Bulls selected Chappell in 1966, only to grant him scant playing time and then panic trade him halfway through the season for local prep hero George Wilson. His stint with the Bucks was more successful but in a stroke of bad timing for Chappell, the Cavaliers selected him right before the ’70-’71 season, when Milwaukee made its title run. Adding insult to injury, Cleveland waived him just six games into the season. Chappell was picked up by the Hawks for the remainder of ’70-’71, then closed out his career with one season in the ABA with the Spurs.

“[The Clippers’] expansion draft selections could be charitably called curious, maybe more accurately disastrous, and that reflected in the standings, with a 65-181 record over their first three seasons”

16) Bingo Smith, Cleveland Cavaliers (1970)

The 1970 expansion draft was a chaotic event, involving three new franchises for the first and only time (and it could have been four, but the bid from an ownership group in Houston fell apart at the last minute). When the dust settled, the headliner pick by the Cavaliers contemporaneously was Butch Beard, a promising young guard left unprotected by the Hawks to free up playing time for Pete Maravich. But the real gem was Smith, a shocking availability inclusion by the Rockets, who had drafted him sixth overall just one year prior. He never played at an All-Star level but Smith became arguably the face of the Cavs franchise in its first decade of existence. A long range bomber and versatile defender, he was a consistent presence in the lineup, averaging 14+ points and five-plus rebounds per game five times in his first six seasons with Cleveland, and one of the heroes of the 1976 “Miracle at Richfield” playoff run. Smith’s #7 jersey now hangs from the rafters at Rocket Arena.

17) Pat Riley, Portland Trail Blazers (1970)

It took the Trail Blazers seven seasons to field a team with a winning record (granted, that team also won the franchise’s first title) and a weak expansion draft performance was a big reason why. In retrospect, the most notable thing about Portland’s expansion draft class was the inclusion of two future coaching legends: Rick Adelman and Riley. While Adelman did put in a couple solid seasons in Portland before injuries derailed his career, Riley never even suited up for the franchise, getting traded immediately to the Lakers. Thus, the significance here was not Riley’s impact on the Blazers but rather the impact of this selection on Riley’s career path. Not that Riley’s five seasons with the Lakers was anything spectacular, but his intensity and intelligence made quite an impression on teammate Jerry West, who recommended Riley for a broadcaster job with the Lakers in 1977. Riley soon after became an assistant coach, then head coach when Paul Westhead was fired, and the rest (four championships) is history.

18) Bailey Howell, Buffalo Braves (1970)

The Clippers are arguably the most cursed franchise in any major American sport and it all started in their first incarnation, as the Buffalo Braves. Their expansion draft selections could be charitably called curious, maybe more accurately disastrous, and that reflected in the standings, with a 65-181 record over their first three seasons. But credit where credit is due, grabbing Howell from the Celtics turned out to be a strategically shrewd pick. It’s not the selection of the six-time All-Star Howell that’s notable for the Braves but rather what they did with it, immediately trading him to the 76ers in exchange for Bob Kaufmann. A #3 overall pick just two years prior, Kauffman got his thus far disappointing career back on track in Buffalo, making All-Star appearances in his first three seasons with the franchise. Just as the team was taking off behind Bob McAdoo, Kauffman was an expansion draft pick again, this time to the Jazz. Howell played one more season with the Sixers before retiring.

19) Walt Bellamy, New Orleans Jazz (1974)

The 1974 expansion draft was an omen of the first decade struggles of the Jazz. The team came into draft day still without a coach (they would eventually hire Scotty Robertson) or a name (Jazz would be announced a few weeks later). The good news is that they landed three former All-Stars. The bad news is those three players ultimately collectively played in just five games total for the franchise. Bellamy came to New Orleans with a stacked resume but was 35 years old and completely disinterested in playing for an expansion team. Even worse, Bellamy had clashed with Jazz star Pete Maravich when they were teammates in Atlanta. A stand-off ensued, with Bellamy initially announcing his retirement, then rescinding to join the team for training camp and preseason. He was the starting center for a season opening loss to the Knicks but played just 14 minutes. It turned out to be the final NBA game of his Hall of Fame career, as the Jazz waived him a day later. As for the other two expansion draft pick All-Stars, Bob Kauffman was part of the trade for Maravich, while John Block was shipped off to the Bulls four games into the season.

20) Austin Carr, Dallas Mavericks (1980)

1980 was arguably the worst year to be a Cavaliers fan and that’s saying something for a franchise with a long, sordid history of disappointments. Coach Bill Fitch absconded that year for Boston, while franchise stalwarts Bingo Smith, Jim Chones, Campy Russell, and Jim Brewer were traded away. Carr was one of the last pieces remaining, a former All-Star and elite scorer who had slowed considerably at age 31 with a bad knee. But he was still “Mr. Cavalier,” the biggest star in team history, so it was disheartening to see him taken away by the Mavericks in their expansion draft. Carr ultimately played in only eight games for Dallas before getting traded to the Bullets for cash. In fact, none of Dallas’ expansion picks added much and it took years for the new franchise to contend. As for Cavaliers fans, things only got worse that summer, with the miserly Ted Stepien purchasing the team and plunging it into new depths.

21) Muggsy Bogues, Charlotte Hornets (1988)
22) Dell Curry, Charlotte Hornets (1988)

They didn’t land any future All-Stars in their expansion draft, but the Hornets did manage to solidify their back court for years to come. The diminutive but talented Bogues was a surprise to see on the availability list, as the Bullets had drafted him in the lottery just one year prior. Curry had a solid ’87-’88 season as a bench shooting specialist for the Cavs but was expendable due to the emergence of Ron Harper. Along with rookie Rex Chapman, Bogues and Curry formed a immediately solid back court rotation for Charlotte. When the front court finally gelled around Larry Johnson and Alonzo Mourning and the Hornets made their playoff debut in 1992, Bogues was the starting point guard, averaging 8.8 assists per game, while Curry was a perennial threat for Sixth Man of the Year (he eventually won it in ’94-’95). Both players wound up spending nine continuous seasons with Charlotte, which ties them for the all-time record for longest single team tenure amongst expansion draftees.

23) Pearl Washington, Miami Heat (1988)

Already famous at age 18 as a Brooklyn playground legend and the #1 rated high school player in the country, Washington picked up the “Pearl” nickname due to comparisons to Earl Monroe. He lived up to the hype at Syracuse, earning All-American honors twice, but also quietly garnered a reputation as lackadaisical and unfocused, which carried over after the Nets selected him 13th overall in 1986. There were some flashes of brilliance in Washington’s two years with New Jersey but mostly mediocrity, which was compounded by his unexplained weight gain. The Heat hoped they had landed a diamond in the rough, a “Pearl” in the sand if you will, but instead Washington’s lethargy followed him south. He put in a few solid performances early in the ’88-’89 season but his inconsistency and lack of defensive focus led to Washington fading from the rotation. The Heat waived him at season’s end and that was the end of Washington’s NBA career.

24) Reggie Theus, Orlando Magic (1989)
25) Scott Skiles, Orlando Magic (1989)

Only four players compiled 12,000+ points and 4,000+ assists during the ’80s: Magic Johnson, Larry Bird, Isiah Thomas, and Theus. The contrast couldn’t be stronger between the three renowned legendary champions and Theus, who played for 15 coaches (!) on five different teams over a 13-year career, advancing to the second round of the playoffs just once. Theus averaged 18+ points per game in seven of his first 11 seasons, but also developed a reputation to teammates as a selfish gunner and to coaches as a sullen antagonist. It was cruel irony that just as Theus was shedding that baggage by taking on a leadership role with the Hawks, he was snatched away and banished to mediocrity in Orlando. To his credit Theus made the best of it, averaging 18.9 points per game at age 32 and acting as a mentor to a youthful roster. One of those youngsters was Skiles, whom the Magic picked up from the Pacers. When Orlando traded away Theus in 1990, Skiles seized on the opportunity, taking over as full-time starting point guard and earning the Most Improved Player award in ’90-’91.

26) Rick Mahorn, Minnesota Timberwolves (1989)

The 1989 Pistons championship parade in Detroit was bittersweet for Mahorn. The longtime Pistons power forward found out literally mid-ceremony that he had been left exposed in the expansion draft and selected by the Timberwolves. It was a shocking move, as Mahorn was an embodiment of the “Bad Boys” ethos, with his team-oriented style of play and willingness to scrap when necessary. The remaining Pistons players and their fans were disgruntled by the move, but no one more so than Mahorn himself, who immediately demanded a trade from the T-Wolves to a contender. They ended up getting a decent haul for Mahorn from the 76ers, one first round pick and two second rounders, though none of those picks panned out into anything useful. The Pistons repeated as champions in ’89-’90 without Mahorn, while the Timberwolves floundered their way to 60 losses. Mahorn wound up playing another decade in the NBA, including a brief reunion late in his career with the Pistons.

27) B.J. Armstrong, Toronto Raptors (1995)

Scottie Pippen is the only player to bridge the gap between the Bulls’ two title three-peats, but Armstrong came close. As a key piece of those first three championship runs and an All-Star starter in 1994, Armstrong was a surprising inclusion on the unprotected list. But a 6’2″ point guard who preferred driving to the basket didn’t fit the mold of Phil Jackson’s triangle offense and Armstrong had informed franchise brass that he refused to return to a bench role. The Bulls tried to trade Armstrong following the ’94-’95 season but found no suitable partners and figured they might as well just clear his salary rather than keep him. As the only former All-Star in the pool and still only 27 years old, Armstrong was an easy choice for the Raptors as the #1 pick. But, befitting a team with Isiah Thomas involved in decision making, they botched it, turning around and trading Armstrong later that summer to the Warriors for a package of mediocre young players who never panned out. Armstrong soon after suffered a knee injury soon and was never the same, eventually retiring in 2000.

28) Byron Scott, Vancouver Grizzlies (1995)

While B.J. Armstrong was the only All-Star available in the 1995 expansion draft pool, Scott was easily the most accomplished player. A 12-year veteran, he had amassed over 13,000 career points, won three championships as the starting shooting guard for the “Showtime Lakers,” and was coming off a solid season as the Pacers’ sixth man. In his first season with Vancouver, Scott kept one career streak alive, averaging 10+ points per game for the 13th consecutive year. But another streak ended, as Scott did not participate in the playoffs for the first time in his career. The Grizzlies finished 15-67 in ’95-’96, quite a change of pace for a guy who had played in nine Conference Finals and five NBA Finals in his first 12 years in the league. Scott nonetheless embraced his leadership role with Vancouver, a trait that would carry over later into his coaching career. A free agent at season’s end, Scott reunited with the Lakers for ’96-’97, this time mentoring a young Kobe Bryant.

29) Gerald Wallace, Charlotte Bobcats (2004)
30) Marcus Fizer, Charlotte Bobcats (2004)

As the NBA mulls expanding from 30 teams to 32, is there anything these potential future franchises can glean from the most recent expansion draft? It’s been over two decades now since the Bobcats’ draft and the end result encapsulates the highs and lows of expansion drafting. Let’s start with the cautionary tale. It’s unclear whether the tactic was strategic or not, but the Bobcats selected nine restricted free agents, all of whom were subsequently eligible to sign with any team in the league. Only one of those nine opted to stay with Charlotte and it wasn’t Fizer, the former #4 overall pick who wanted no part of an expansion team (it was Tamar Slay, for the record, and he lasted just one season with the Bobcats). Fizer signed instead with the Bucks and his disappointing career fizzled out soon after. There was little excitement concurrently for Wallace and his career average of just 3.4 points per game. Little did anyone realize that he would become the face of the franchise over the next few seasons, culminating in ’09-’10 when he became the first (and only) Bobcat representative at an All-Star Game and led Charlotte to its first playoff appearance. Fizer and Wallace are a perfect representation of the shot-in-the-dark nature that has always defined NBA expansion drafts, and likely will continue to do so.

1) Slick Leonard, Chicago Packers (1961)2) Archie Dees, Chicago Packers (1961)

3) Bob Boozer, Chicago Bulls (1966)4) Jerry Sloan, Chicago Bulls (1966)5) Red Kerr, Chicago Bulls (1966)6) Jeff Mullins, Chicago Bulls (1966)

7) Don Kojis, Chicago Bulls (1966) and San Diego Rockets (1967)

8) Chico Vaughn, San Diego Rockets (1967)9) Freddie Lewis, San Diego Rockets (1967)

10) Walt Hazzard, Seattle SuperSonics (1967)11) Richie Guerin, Seattle SuperSonics (1967)

12) Dick Van Arsdale, Phoenix Suns (1968)13) Gail Goodrich, Phoenix Suns (1968)