Each club can only retain one player meaning that if the Thunder retain Billings they will have to take their chances with Hales and Hasnain in the draft.
Teams can take three overseas players in all, meaning the Sydney Sixers would not be able to keep all their overseas players from last season, even if they last in the draft.
Veteran England seamer Chris Jordan and Pakistan’s leg-spinning allrounder Shadab Khan are listed as platinum while England batsman James Vince and allrounder Tom Curran are available on lower tiers.
A number of the best overseas players are expected to sign up for the first half of the BBL, beginning in December, then leave for the more lucrative UAE tournament from mid-January, where they can earn up to $700,000.
The BBL is facing unprecedented competition from new T20 competitions in South Africa and the UAE, which is being heavily funded by Indian IPL owners and businesses.
Sangha is excited by the draft concept.
“I’m a massive NBA fan,” Sangha said. “I’ve always wondered inside the NBA, when teams are the first, second, third pick, who they’re going to select.
“I’ve always wanted to be like a fly on the wall at one of those tables so I guess, in my own way, I’m kind of getting to live that dream a little bit being on the table for the Thunder.
“When there’s going to be overseas players involved it’s always going to be exciting.”
NSW state captain Kurtis Patterson, who has returned to Sydney with the Sixers after flourishing at the Perth Scorchers, believes the draft will be good for the BBL.
“I think everyone wants the Big Bash to succeed here in Australia, and everyone’s got their thinking caps on regarding what we can do to make it succeed,” Patterson said.
“It’s a bloody good product and it’s nice to be challenged. I think this draft is really exciting as a cricket fan.
“As an NBA fan who loves drafts and stuff like that I’m excited to see how that overseas draft works.”