2014 NBA Draft: How Far Will Joel Embiid Fall?
Cleveland Cavaliers, No. 1 Pick
Draft Him: There’s a reason Joel Embiid was the consensus No. 1 projected pick until this latest injury news. He has the highest ceiling other than maybe Andrew Wiggins and game-changing centers don’t come around every day. In his lone season at Kansas, he averaged 11.2 points, 8.1 rebounds and 2.6 blocks per game. He shot 63 percent from the floor and though he’s still learning, the scary part about Embiid is…he’s still learning. The Cavs need a rim protector and Embiid could be a dynamic addition to a young team with Kyrie Irving and Dion Waiters.
Don’t Draft Him: Are you kidding? Bad luck and the Cleveland Cavaliers go hand in hand, people! THIS HAS DISASTER WRITTEN ALL OVER IT! What happens when you’ve had five top-four picks in the last four drafts and you’ve only hit on one of them? You need get your third No. 1 draft pick in four years right. And given the insane amount of pressure on the Cavs to nail this pick because of their ridiculous lottery luck, Embiid represents too much of a risk. With Andrew Wiggins and Jabari Parker serving as tantalizing wing options, there’s little reason to take the risk if the post-surgery report isn’t overwhelmingly positive.
Probability: 1%