Just as things were starting to become clear at the top of the 2014 NBA Draft, news of a Joel Embiid foot injury surfaced.
Embiid is the ultra-talented seven-footer from Cameroon with seemingly unlimited upside. The Cleveland Cavaliers hold the first pick in the 2014 NBA Draft, which takes place on Thursday, June, 26th, and seemed to be strongly leaning towards selecting the center from Kansas.
On Thursday evening, just one week from the draft, Embiid’s agent Arm Tellem confirmed that he has a stress fracture in his right foot that will likely require surgery. Details about the injury have not yet been released, but there is no doubt that his stock is slipping as we speak.
Embiid was a defensive force for the Jayhawks in his one and only college season, as he blocked 2.6 shots per game and brought down 8.1 rebounds. His ability to protect the rim is obvious, and would be a welcomed addition to any NBA team. Offensively, Embiid is very raw, but his athleticism is obvious in the post. He has a smooth game that is very unrefined, and just drips with potential.
Embiid is commonly compared to Hakeem Olajuwon. That is a tough comparison to live up to, but there are similarities in their games, making it a conceivable match.
Along with Jabari Parker and Andrew Wiggins, Embiid has been commonly considered a top three prospect in this talented draft class. Embiid seems like the perfect fit for the Cavaliers, as they have a dynamic young backcourt, and have invested heavily in the power forward position. A big stopper in the middle is exactly what this young team needs.
Unless the foot injury is not as bad as expected, the Cavaliers will likely go in a different direction on draft day. First of all, the pick will almost certainly be available for trade. Could Cleveland get involved in the Kevin Love sweepstakes by dangling that first overall pick? Do not rule anything out.
If the Cavaliers decide to keep the pick, selecting between Parker and Wiggins is likely. Parker is the safer pick, while Wiggins represents more upside. There have been few indications on which of the two Cleveland prefers, but if the injury concerns of Embiid are real, it is safe to say that Parker and Wiggins will go in some order with the first two picks. The Milwaukee Bucks hold the second overall pick, and seem to prefer Parker.
The Philadelphia 76ers select third, and before today’s news seemed to be in a great situation to land their first choice in Wiggins. Now, it is very unlikely that he will be on the board. As they showed last season with Nerlens Noel, the 76ers are not afraid to take an injured prospect and let him get healthy. They could easily do something similar with Embiid, and have the most intriguing young front court in the league. Aaron Gordon or Noah Vonleh would be interesting considerations for Philadelphia if they decide that Embiid is too risky.
If he slips past the 76ers, neither the Orlando Magic nor Utah Jazz seem to be fits for Embiid. Both teams have interesting young big men that they are already trying to develop, and point guards Dante Exum and Marcus Smart appear to be great fits for either team.
The Boston Celtics hold the sixth pick, which they are looking to move in a deal for Love. That said, if Embiid is sitting there for Boston, it would be very tough for them to not take him. As great as a Love/Rajon Rondo combination would be, building around Rondo and Embiid while not giving up any more assets is very intriguing as well.
While anything is possible, it seems unlikely that Embiid falls any further than Boston’s pick at six, and if he does the Los Angeles Lakers will certainly jump at the chance to take him with the seventh pick. NBA teams seem to draft highly based on potential, making an Embiid costless fall very unlikely. Somebody will take the chance.
Embiid has a chance to become a once in a generation kind of player. However, if he cannot stay healthy, he will never even come close to that potential. Regardless, this has an obvious impact to the top of the draft.