NBA Draft Rumors 2014: Orlando Magic would pass on Joel Embiid?

It is widely believed the Orlando Magic are eyeing Australian point guard Dante Exum in the 2014 NBA Draft. They are also said to covet former Kansas Jayhawks’ forward Andrew Wiggins, who almost certainly won’t be available when they Magic go on the clock with the fourth overall pick.

More from NBA

Most expect the Magic will wind up taking whoever is left the perceived big four in the draft that includes Exum, Wiggins, Wiggins’ college teammate, Joel Embiid and former Duke Blue Devils’ forward Jabari Parker.

Yannis Koutroupis of Basketball Insiders believes the Magic could indeed pass on one of the big four because of Embiid’s back history.

"If one of the big three is one the board at that point, the only scenario in which I can see that happening is if Embiid’s back doesn’t checkout. In that case, taking Hennigan’s hesitance to invest in Andrew Bynum and Nerlens Noel, who he could have acquired but wisely (in Bynum’s case, it’s still too early to say in Noel’s case long-term) passed on because of the injury concerns, I can’t imagine him being willing to take the risk three other teams ahead of him weren’t willing to take – especially with Nikola Vucevic on the roster. I think he would probably go with Smart, who he was rumored to love last year, in that scenario. As far as anybody outside of the first four who can be the best player in the draft down the line, I really like the upside of Noah Vonleh, Dario Saric and Jusuf Nurkic. Those three could easily end up being All-Stars as well."

Embiid averaged 11.2 points, 8.1 rebounds, 2.6 blocks and 1.4 assists per game last season.

Home/NBA