There have been rumors flying around the upcoming 2014 NBA draft. With a deep class and a number of teams willing to make trades, there could be a lot of movement before and during the draft.
The Cleveland Cavaliers won the first selection giving them a choice between phenoms Andrew Wiggins, Joel Embiid, and Jabari Parker. Many believe Embiid has the highest ceiling and would be a no-brainer choice at the top of the draft, but a back injury has teams worried.
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Embiid had his workout with the Cavaliers today, and according to ESPN Cleveland, the physical did not go well for the big man:
.@TheRealTRizzo: Sources tell me Joel Embiid's physical w/ the #Cavs did not go well. Enough red flags that they won't take him #1 overall.
— ESPN Cleveland (@ESPNCleveland) June 13, 2014
This is huge news as Embiid had been saying that his back would be fine. If it turns out to be something recurring, teams will likely shy away from the Kansas center and he could slide quickly.
However, there are other reports saying the exact opposite. Sam Amico of Fox Sports says that Embiid’s physical with Cleveland checked out just fine:
Cavs put Joel Embiid through rigorous workout. His physical checked out fine, source says.
— Sam Amico (@SamAmicoFSO) June 13, 2014
With so many conflicting reports on the subject, it is hard to know what to believe. If there are any questions about Embiid’s back however, he could suffer a similar fall to Nerlens Noel last season, who fell all the way to sixth despite being the consensus top prospect.
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This marks the second consecutive day of injury news coming from top draft prospects. Yesterday, it was reported that Kentucky forward Julius Randle may need foot surgery after his foot failed to heal properly following surgery for a break during his senior year of high school.
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