The 2014 NBA Draft is upon us. Hundreds of hopeful young basketball talents will be aiming to be one of the 60 players picked to join the NBA’s ranks this season.
Among them superstars of the American collegiate system, players from various European leagues and even a young Australian superstar, Dante Exum.
Cleveland won the draft lottery that was held a few weeks ago. They will pick first and will be followed by Milwaukee, Philadelphia, Orlando and Utah will make up the Top-5.
Players like Joel Embiid and Andrew Wiggins from Kansas, Jabari Parker from Duke and Marcus Smart from Oklahoma State are expected to join Dante Exum as some of the first players picked in this year’s draft.
Some stories coming out of this year’s draft are of course where Australian, Exum, will be picked. Some have him as high as 2 and others somewhere near 6 or 7. The Los Angeles Lakers have their 1st lottery pick since 2005 and are looking to fast track their rise back to NBA’s elite.
Kevin Love and the Minnesota Timberwolves, the NBA rumour mill has been running overtime keeping up with all the potential trade destinations for Kevin Love, if any trade was to happen draft night is likely the time and place.
However the biggest story developing is that of Joel Embiid. Already under an injury cloud after a back injury, he has now going to have to undergo foot surgery and is likely to be out for 4-6 months. Consequently he has gone from the front runner to being 1st overall pick in the draft to sliding down the draft board. While there are no definite reports some rumours have him falling out of the Top 5.
All these questions and more will be answered on Friday from 9:30am. J
oin me here for a live blog with all the picks and any trades that may happen.
Shaun Mancini
Roar Pro
Yeah Lebron stays in Miami and Melo goes to Chicago unless Houston have a really good pitch for him. I don't even think Minnesota have really bothered to try and talk Love into staying, we've sorta just known this would happen for a year now that he is over losing and the help has just never really come. I've been a Warriors fan for a long time so I'm probably just being biased but wow the Curry/Love combo has me so sold it just has to happen.
Aaron Doherty
Roar Pro
After the draft I think the inside running is Lebron stays in Miami and Chicago ends up with Melo. But Houston is a dark horse. Morey will move heaven and earth to get one or both of them. Apparently he has moves in place to offload Lin if he gets a guarantee from either of them to clear more space. As for Love I have no idea. I think Golden State is a good move but I just have this nagging feeling that Boston has some moves in the works. I personally hope that he stays in Minnesota I like the Rubio/Love pairing. But it's easier to get to the moon than attract free agents to Minneapolis.
Aaron Doherty
Roar Pro
I really like what Utah did in the draft. Exum and Hood should be good pieces for them. Esp if some team offers Gordan Haywood a contract they can't beat.
Shaun Mancini
Roar Pro
Today might have been the calm before the storm i think. No massive draft shocks and it really felt like everything sort of went to plan. Teams all made smart choices and nobody pulled the trigger on any big trades. In regards to Kevin Love I think Minnesota are making it more clear that they would prefer players that can contribute right now. Well thats what i took out of them not just dealing him today for a few high draft picks. Warriors stayed patient, didn't force themselves into the draft and didn't panic trade for Kevin Love - yet Look at Chicago just going along nicely, putting the small steps in place for the end goal of getting Carmelo or Lebron or both. McDermott is a solid kid and congrats to Cameron Bairstow the Brissy boy! Chicago really like this guy, i heard they were going to chase another second round pick just to get him if he wasn't going to be available at 49. Great to see Dante go at 5 too. God i hope this kid dominates, he is very much the mystery man of the draft. So yeah overall it sorta all went to plan. Whats install for the next week though?
Patrick Effeney
Editor
Nice work Aaron! Well summed up.
Clark
Guest
Thank for the coverage man, I like a lot of moves with more to come from a number of teams. One team who won in the draft was Utah, a couple of good early picks should shift them in the right direction next season. The Bucks landing Parker is good too, I had a feeling they would have taken Embiid if he had not been injured.
Aaron Doherty
Roar Pro
That concludes the 2014 NBA draft. Some interesting storylines unfolding, I like Chicago's draft. Looking like making moves to attract LeBron or Carmelo. Got a nice scorer in McDermott and a PF in the Aussie Bairston that can take up the slack when Chicago amnesty Boozer. Celtics have picked up a couple nice pieces and smart money would be that there are some other moves coming from their front office. Cleveland alluded late that may have considered trading Wiggins, either way its a nice pick for them. Charlotte Hornets (formerly the Bobcats) made some nice picks in Vonleh and Hairston adds some good pieces to that team and should help them in a fairly week Eastern Conference. Magic drafted potentially a starting PG and a nice athletic PF and shed some Cap space with the Afflalo trade poised to make some upgrades. I like the Spurs pick of Anderson, a good halfcourt system player who averaged a fair share of rebounds and assists in college should fit in nicely there. With Free Agency looming should be an action packed off season for the NBA
Aaron Doherty
Roar Pro
57th pick Indiana select Louis Labeyrie 58th pick Spurs select Jordan McCray 59th pick Raptors select Xavier Thames 60th pick Spurs select Cory Jefferson
Aaron Doherty
Roar Pro
56th pick Denver take Roy Devyn Marble
Aaron Doherty
Roar Pro
T'Wolves picking 53rd select Alessandro Gentile 76ers picking 54th select Nemanja Dangubic Heat picking 55th Semaj Christon
Clark
Guest
His brother is an absolute beast, grown 2 inches in one season and still growing probably, interesting to see how his brother gets on coming through the system.
Aaron Doherty
Roar Pro
76ers picking 52nd select Vasilije Micic
Clark
Guest
Yeah that is the main point why he wouldn't opt out. I hear Toronto are thinking about trading Kyle Lowry to Miami for cash with the possibility of trying to lure Bosh back to the Raptors.
Aaron Doherty
Roar Pro
51st pick New York select Thanasis Anteokounmpo, Greek SF, Picked from the D-League. his younger brother was picked in last years draft by the Bucks
astro
Guest
Brilliant!!! Well done to him...
Aaron Doherty
Roar Pro
50th pick Pheonix select Centre Alec Brown
Aaron Doherty
Roar Pro
49th pick for Chicago, Cameron Bairstow. An Aussie from Brisbane, a 6'9 PF played for New Mexico. Nice rebounder and good midrange shooter
Aaron Doherty
Roar Pro
48th pick Bucks select Lamar Patterson a SG
Aaron Doherty
Roar Pro
45th pick PF Dwight Powell to the Hornets 46th pick PG Jordan Clarkson to the Cavaliers 47th pick PG Russ Smith to 76ers
Aaron Doherty
Roar Pro
Nets reported to have sent 1 million dollars to the T'Wolves