The NBA Draft 2014 is live online and on TV from ESPN and the WatchESPN website and the basketball event is at the Barclays Center starting up at 7 pm as names like Andrew Wiggins, Jabari Parker, Joel Embiid, Marcus Smart and Julius Randle await as teams like the Cleveland Cavaliers, Boston Celtics, Los Angeles Lakers, Orlando Magic and Utah Jazz make picks.
The Cleveland Cavaliers won the draft lottery and received numerous offers from teams about the first overall pick and they have the chance to take Andrew Wiggins, Jabari Parker or Joel Embiid. Most reports had the Cavaliers taking Embiid number one and most scouts agree he has the highest ceiling of the three top players, but now he is injured and likely will slip unless a team trades up for him.
There have been many rumors over the past few days about teams looking to trade up, as they see Embiid as a number one pick and if he gets past three, teams will look at trading for his rights. Last season Nerlens Noel was selected by the Pelicans and then traded to the Philadelphia 76ers and now the team has the chance to make a move again. Parker is one of the most interesting players in the draft and some have compared his size and skills to LeBron James and he leaves college after playing one season at Duke.
The Cavaliers had just a 1.7 percent chance of winning the number one overall pick, but they beat out the Sixers and the Bucks, who had the best chance at 25 percent and now they will likely take who is left over from the first pick. The team had interest in Embiid and the new ownership group expressed their feeling that he has the best upside of anyone in the draft, but they also want a player that can play now and that means Wiggins or Parker. The Bucks are firmly planted at number two and they will take whoever is next and the feeling is that it will be Parker.
Coming into the season, many thought teams would try to tank for the first overall pick to try and get Wiggins or Parker and that ended up not being a big issue, as the Sixers really were the only team in position to do it. Some thought the Raptors might try since Wiggins is Canadian, but they ended up making the playoffs and winning their division instead. Wiggins is the likely number one pick for most people over Parker, but they are so close it's hard to decide. Embiid went ahead of everyone after the season ended, but the injury now has cost him the number one spot and likely millions in contract money.
The Cavaliers have the number one pick over the Milwaukee Bucks, while the Sixers are next ahead of the Orlando Magic, Utah Jazz, Boston Celtics, Los Angeles Lakers, Sacramento Kings and Charlotte Hornets before the Sixers wrap up the top 10. Philly also has five, count em five second round picks and they could try and use those to package picks to move up or down in the draft. The draft starts up on ESPN and it's likely Wiggins will be going with the top pick ahead of Parker in Brooklyn.
Check here for the NBA draft schedule and live stream coverage for the event from Barclays Center on ESPN from the WatchESPN website.