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2014 NBA Draft : Players We’re Waiting For

By Gary Gorski

Dec 15, 2014; Philadelphia, PA, USA; Injured Philadelphia 76ers center Joel Embiid (left) talks with general manager and president Sam Hinkie (right) before a game against the Boston Celtics at Wells Fargo Center. Mandatory Credit: Bill Streicher-USA TODAY Sports
Dec 15, 2014; Philadelphia, PA, USA; Injured Philadelphia 76ers center Joel Embiid (left) talks with general manager and president Sam Hinkie (right) before a game against the Boston Celtics at Wells Fargo Center. Mandatory Credit: Bill Streicher-USA TODAY Sports /
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These players were selected with the long game in mind during the 2014 NBA Draft. Will they pay dividends finally in 2016-17?

Dec 15, 2014; Philadelphia, PA, USA; Injured Philadelphia 76ers center Joel Embiid (left) talks with general manager and president Sam Hinkie (right) before a game against the Boston Celtics at Wells Fargo Center. Mandatory Credit: Bill Streicher-USA TODAY Sports
Dec 15, 2014; Philadelphia, PA, USA; Injured Philadelphia 76ers center Joel Embiid (left) talks with general manager and president Sam Hinkie (right) before a game against the Boston Celtics at Wells Fargo Center. Mandatory Credit: Bill Streicher-USA TODAY Sports /

“Patience is a virtue” is the saying although a luxury not usually afforded to professional sports franchises. For years though NBA teams have been using their second-round picks to “draft and stash.”

It is an ideal setup for a team because more often than not a player chosen in the second round is not capable of contributing to or even making a NBA roster at that time.

This strategy has minimal downside because a team is not risking a major asset by using a second-round pick to grab the rights to an overseas player that one day might help them. Best of all the development time and costs are handled by another organization.

Using a first-round pick for a player who is far from NBA-ready is a different matter. Not only are you potentially passing on a player who might be able to play sooner although perhaps has less potential, teams are also facing risky financial propositions.

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If the player is kept on the NBA roster the team is paying guaranteed first round money for a player who potentially is spending most of his time in the D-league.

If the player stays overseas, they run the risk of never seeing the player come here as in the case of the Orlando Magic, who drafted Fran Vazquez with the 11th pick in the 2005 NBA Draft.

Time is a factor too. If a team cannot bring the player over within three years, then he is no longer bound to the rookie contract pay scale, which is a giant lost benefit for the drafting team.

With that in mind teams took a gamble on four first-round picks in the 2014 NBA Draft that we are still waiting to see pay off. Will 2016-17 be the year?

Next: The Wounded One

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