Cavaliers Rave About Joel Embiid After Workout, But Will They Trade the Pick?

Joel Embiid, the 7-foot Kansas center who is a raw shot-blocking machine with plenty of untapped offensive potential, worked out for the Cleveland Cavaliers this week, and the unsourced reviews are predictably glowing:

"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."

So it’s a done deal, right? Embiid to the Cavs 1st overall. (I’d still take Wiggins 1st.) Let’s look at how Cleveland would look with Embiid … wait, what? Mum’s the word on his physical? Embiid missed the Big 12 tournament and NCAA tournament due to a bad back. Short of Embiid’s agent releasing the physical results to the public, we’re going to hear about this up until the draft. No matter how good Embiid looks against chairs.

So what’s the guess? The Cavs love Embiid and will draft him, or they love Kevin Love and will attempt to put together a deal for the Minnesota forward who averaged 26-12 last year? Or is Love going to Boston? Or is Cleveland hyping Embiid so somebody trades up to get the 20-year old?

[Reminder: The Cavs stunned everyone by taking Anthony Bennett 1st overall in 2013.]

Only 16 days until the draft!

Interesting theory floated by Brian Windhorst on Cleveland radio this morning: LeBron signs a 1-year deal in Miami, and does a ‘wait-and-see’ with how Cleveland’s No. 1 pick turns out. Now that’d be interesting – Cavs don’t give up anything, and have a nucleus of Waiters-Irving-Bennett-Thompson-Embiid-Jack with the potential to add LeBron in 2015.

Wait, how did this turn into another post about LeBron? Because it’s always about LeBron.