The concern about Joel Embiid's back injury reportedly is a smokescreen. ESPN's Bill Simmons reports the Embiid's back is "fine" and doesn't see the Cleveland Cavaliers passing on the 7-footer with the first pick of the 2014 NBA draft.
A growing number of mock drafts have Embiid going second to the Milwaukee Bucks or third to the Philadelphia 76ers, seemingly because of concerns about the back injury that sidelined Embiid down the stretch of the season. Simmons, though, said he saw the former Kansas center work out in California and the injury is a nonissue.
"By the way, Embiid's back is fine. I watched him work out last week (at a secret location in Santa Monica)," Simmons wrote on Thursday. "... Here's what I can tell you: He moves around as effortlessly as a 7-foot Serge Ibaka; he's such an athletic freak that he's one of those 'still going up as he's finishing the dunk' guys; his freakish wingspan might make Jay Bilas pass out ... And again -- his back seemed totally fine."
Simmons also mentioned Embiid's upside -- he's only played basketball for four years -- and 3-point range, along with his athleticism and size, make him a potential franchise center that no team would pass up.
Simmons projected Embiid to go first overall and insisted any talk of the Cameroon native falling in the draft is a smokescreen.
"The amount of smokescreening going on in April and May was high comedy," Simmons wrote. "... The truth is, (Andrew) Wiggins and (Jabari) Parker never separated themselves enough this season to warrant anyone saying, 'We're passing on a potential franchise center with a good chance of becoming the 7-foot Serge Ibaka.'"
Cleveland holds the No. 1 pick of the draft. Cavaliers general manager, David Griffin, acknowledged the team would be open to trading the pick for the right offer.
