ESPN: Joel Embiid to visit with Cavaliers

[Johnny Jones]

He's a talking head on the radio in Cleveland. I'm not sure there is a person on the planet less likely to get legitimate information.

Sam Amico is worse. Both of those two probably don't have any sources and are likely bull shitting

[CavaliersFTW]

Tony Rizzo's source was overhearing someone talk about this while eating dinner at a restaurant

[RedBlackAttack]

Sam Amico is worse. Both of those two probably don't have any sources and are likely bull shitting

Amico used to be worse. When Grant was GM, he was basically just making stuff up. We even suspected he was taking information from RCF insiders and using it as his "breaking" news.

I will tell you this... things have changed. There has been a shake-up in which reporters get information from the Cavs. I won't say anything more, but notice Cavs fans in the know are no longer killing Amico.

[RedBlackAttack]

A bit more information is beginning to leak about the Cavs' workout with Embiid. It sounds like he blew them away.

In his latest mock draft, Chad Ford had this to say...


1. Cleveland - Joel Embiid, C, Kansas

Embiid's workout and interview in Cleveland last week were major successes, according to sources close to the Cavs. Embiid did a full workout there in front of the Cavs' front office and owner Dan Gilbert. Multiple sources said that the team was blown away with the workout. Embiid even ended one session by launching and nailing a series of 3s. Directly after the workout, two different sources told me that Embiid was the strong favorite to be drafted by the Cavs. Even Gilbert was on board.

http://insider.espn.go.com/nba/draft...ord_NBAMock8.0

[DukeDelonte13]

Amico used to be worse. When Grant was GM, he was basically just making stuff up. We even suspected he was taking information from RCF insiders and using it as his "breaking" news.

I will tell you this... things have changed. There has been a shake-up in which reporters get information from the Cavs. I won't say anything more, but notice Cavs fans in the know are no longer killing Amico.

Yeah it's really really weird. Llyod used to be the guy. Was he also the one that put out that really nasty article the day of that crucial Hawks game?

I don't think Amico is more tuned in than he was last year, but we will probably get a good idea in the next few days.

[DukeDelonte13]

A bit more information is beginning to leak about the Cavs' workout with Embiid. It sounds like he blew them away.

In his latest mock draft, Chad Ford had this to say...


1. Cleveland - Joel Embiid, C, Kansas

Embiid's workout and interview in Cleveland last week were major successes, according to sources close to the Cavs. Embiid did a full workout there in front of the Cavs' front office and owner Dan Gilbert. Multiple sources said that the team was blown away with the workout. Embiid even ended one session by launching and nailing a series of 3s. Directly after the workout, two different sources told me that Embiid was the strong favorite to be drafted by the Cavs. Even Gilbert was on board.

http://insider.espn.go.com/nba/draft...ord_NBAMock8.0

Man would I loved to be a fly on the wall during some of these workouts. I hope this story is true but you never know what's real and what's BS when it comes to these things.

Wiggins today, BTW.

[Kblaze8855]

Kinda have to come back to this now....

He's just a perfect fit and he also happens to be the consensus best player in the draft. And, I think the Cavs have just as much to lose if they pass on Embiid and he realizes his potential as they do if they draft him and he doesn't. They've already taken (unwarranted) heat for not drafting Valanciunas, Drummond or Noel.

To pass on another big man -- and the best prospect of the four? What happens when/if Embiid is having an Anthony Davis type of impact by year two and Parker is fighting for shots with Dion and Kyrie? The consensus best player in the draft was gift wrapped to us and we hid from it, strictly out of fear of failure. To me, that makes for a much more brutal narrative than the Cavs taking the best prospect and getting unlucky with an injury.

So its ok...perhaps even advised...to draft scared now?

On one hand...this is the same injury that finished Yao, almost finished Z, and had Walton miss most of 4 years. On the other hand...

According to Dr. Kenneth Hunt, an Assistant Professor of Orthopedics at Stanford, a stress fracture in a navicular bone is "a classic overuse injury" found often in basketball and volleyball players.

"The most common treatment is to make small incisions to place one or two screws across the fracture to stabilize it," Hunt said. "If the fracture is displaced, a bone graft can accelerate healing."

Hunt noted that despite the high profile examples of athletes who have battled recurrences of a navicular fracture, "the healing rates of this fracture are high."

"The majority of these injuries will heal completely," Hunt said. "Getting to it early is a good prognostic sign. In his case, it appears it was treated early and appropriately. In the cases I have seen, the athletes that have recurrent fractures have high arches and stiff feet. They can develop large spurs in the adjacent bones. But again, to the majority of athletes this will heal and not be an issue in the future."

As for recovery time, Hunt said that players generally resume basketball activities in 4-6 months and are ready to play in nine months, though in some cases it can be closer to a year.


Read More: http://sportsillustrated.cnn.com/nba...#ixzz35BZq0ZUe

So....he can be fine. But now Cavs fans dont want to risk it?

Bad backs have probably ended as many careers as bad feet. The back seemed to check out. But now its his foot...

And there seems to be so much less confidence he will be ok. Even if the great majority of people are.

Just too much to take on top of the back?

[D-Rose]

Kinda have to come back to this now....




So its ok...perhaps even advised...to draft scared now?

On one hand...this is the same injury that finished Yao, almost finished Z, and had Walton miss most of 4 years. On the other hand...




So....he can be fine. But now Cavs fans dont want to risk it?

Bad backs have probably ended as many careers as bad feet. The back seemed to check out. But now its his foot...

And there seems to be so much less confidence he will be ok. Even if the great majority of people are.

Just too much to take on top of the back?

He's barely played any basketball and has already had this stress injury. I don't think Cleveland should pick him. No way. Wiggins has generational potential anyway, history is not kind to big man bust picks.

[kshutts1]

He's barely played any basketball and has already had this stress injury. I don't think Cleveland should pick him. No way. Wiggins has generational potential anyway, history is not kind to big man bust picks.

I went over this in the other thread... but the kid just started playing basketball a few years ago, and he's still growing/maturing physically. Of course he's going to have injuries. His body went from minimal (I would assume) professional-athlete-level work to a ton. In just a short time.

Man, I lift daily, and run often. But even with that, if I go extra hard one day, my body definitely hurts. And that's just a step up in weights or time on a jog. Imagine barely doing any professional training, then suddenly going all in? Jesus.

Don't let his injury deter you. If he was your pick before, he should be now.

[D-Rose]

I went over this in the other thread... but the kid just started playing basketball a few years ago, and he's still growing/maturing physically. Of course he's going to have injuries. His body went from minimal (I would assume) professional-athlete-level work to a ton. In just a short time.

Man, I lift daily, and run often. But even with that, if I go extra hard one day, my body definitely hurts. And that's just a step up in weights or time on a jog. Imagine barely doing any professional training, then suddenly going all in? Jesus.

Don't let his injury deter you. If he was your pick before, he should be now.

I understand all that, but in NBA history, big men with these injuries bring up true red flags. I don't think you draft him when Wiggins/Parker are available and are safe picks. I think he goes in the 3-6 range.

[BigTicket]

Just too much to take on top of the back?

Yes.

If there was a large gap between Embiid and everyone else, maybe you could justify taking the chance, but with Wiggins and Parker also available ? Just not worth the risk.

Cavs don't want to be on the wrong side of another Oden/Durant or Bowie/Jordan situation.

[BoutPractice]

Yes.

If there was a large gap between Embiid and everyone else

Honestly? I think there is. But I completely understand why you wouldn't want to take the risk.

[hawksdogsbraves]

He's barely played any basketball and has already had this stress injury. I don't think Cleveland should pick him. No way. Wiggins has generational potential anyway, history is not kind to big man bust picks.

I agree with this, kid has only been playing basketball for a couple of years and has had back troubles, (though minor) and now a serious foot injury.

What's going to happen when he is playing 80 games + per season instead of 30?

If this was last year and you're choosing between Embiid and a bunch of 2nd tier guys like Bennett, Noel, and Zeller, then yeah maybe try your luck. But you've got two top tier wings sitting there so why risk it all?

[hawkfan]

I agree with this, kid has only been playing basketball for a couple of years and has had back troubles, (though minor) and now a serious foot injury.

What's going to happen when he is playing 80 games + per season instead of 30?

If this was last year and you're choosing between Embiid and a bunch of 2nd tier guys like Bennett, Noel, and Zeller, then yeah maybe try your luck. But you've got two top tier wings sitting there so why risk it all?

One guy always falls from the top 3 to the top 10 (Andre Drummond is an example).

And then another guy falls from top 10 to top 15.

Hopefully this year, Embiid will fall to no. 15 for the Hawks.

Pretty much every other team before us (except Phoenix) can't really afford to take a risk. The Suns have a few other picks and already have a number of big men on their roster, so they could afford to draft Embiid at no. 14 if he falls. Hopefully they won't.

[hawksdogsbraves]

One guy always falls from the top 3 to the top 10 (Andre Drummond is an example).

And then another guy falls from top 10 to top 15.

Hopefully this year, Embiid will fall to no. 15 for the Hawks.

Pretty much every other team before us (except Phoenix) can't really afford to take a risk. The Suns have a few other picks and already have a number of big men on their roster, so they could afford to draft Embiid at no. 14 if he falls. Hopefully they won't.

I don't see that happening, but would love it if it did.

I'd roll the dice on Embiid at 15 even if I knew for a FACT that there was only a 15% chance that he could have a healthy career.