NBA Draft Rumors: Jabari Parker may have tanked Cavaliers workout
By Bryan Rose
The Cleveland Cavaliers appear to have significant interest in Jabari Parker of Duke and could be leaning towards selecting the forward with the No. 1 pick in the upcoming 2014 NBA Draft. Of course, that may not be the hope of Parker who according to ESPN’s Chad Ford, may have tanked his workout with the franchise this past weekend.
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“Sources close to the Cavs told ESPN.com this weekend that the team is now leaning toward taking Jabari Parker with the No. 1 pick. However, it’s far from a lock,” says Ford. “Parker came in to work out on Friday in front of the Cavs’ front office and ownership. Parker wasn’t great. He was a bit heavy (he weighed in at 255 pounds), didn’t shoot the ball well and got winded at times. Furthermore, two different sources told ESPN.com that Parker seemed a bit indifferent. One source said he thought Parker “tanked” the workout.”
So what would be all the reasoning behind this? Simply put, there are some who believe Parker would rather play for the Milwaukee Bucks, which isn’t a sentiment too often echoed by NBA players.
Ford went on to say that a source suggested that it ‘was clear’ the Cavaliers weren’t Parker’s first option, though given we’re just days away from the draft it seems this may be nothing more than a smoke screen. The Cavaliers don’t want anybody to know what they’re doing at this point as zeroing in on one player eliminates many trade possibilities.
Still, it is of interesting note, especially Jabari Parker’s playing weight.