NBA Rumors: Boston Celtics likely to pass on Joel Embiid, trade down likely

Mar 1, 2014; Stillwater, OK, USA; Kansas Jayhawks center Joel Embiid (21) is defended by Oklahoma State Cowboys forward/center Kamari Murphy (21) and guard Markel Brown (22) during the first half at Gallagher-Iba Arena. Mandatory Credit: Tim Heitman-USA TODAY Sports /

The NBA Draft is only a few short hours away as the NBA world awaits where the next wave of talent will being their professional careers and there is no player with more mystery attached to his draft status than former Kansas center, Joel Embiid, who is recovering from foot surgery.

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One team who has been linked to Embiid in the wake of his undergoing surgery to put two screws in his foot to repair a stress fracture was the Boston Celtics who own the No. 6 pick.

However, ESPN’s Bill Simmons tweets that Boston is not as enamored with him as we have been led to believe and a trade down is the more likely scenario rather than the Celtics taking the player who was the No. 1 prospect on draft boards a little more than a week ago.

Celts not nearly as sold on Embiid as people think. The medicals worry them. Could still take him, more likely they trade down. (PS-Go USA!)
— Bill Simmons (@BillSimmons) June 26, 2014

Any team who spends a pick on Embiid is taking a calculated risk that he will return in the four-six month timeline that his doctors have said was the necessary recovery time before returning to the basketball court, but that risk may be too much for Celtics general manager, Danny Ainge, at the No. 6 pick.

Perhaps the Celtics trade down a few spots to take Embiid later in the draft to lessen the risk and the money paid to Embiid rather than taking him with their No. 6 pick.

Either way we will know within the first hour of the NBA Draft that begins at 7:30 p.m. ET tonight on ESPN.

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