The Cleveland Cavaliers have been mentioned in trade rumors surrounding the NBA draft and the number 1 overall pick since they won the lottery and after the Kevin Love trade talk popped up, the team likely will not trade Kyrie Irving and the Cavs have also been connected to Derrick Favors and a trade with the Utah Jazz, who could move down from number 5 to take Andrew Wiggins, Jabari Parker or Joel Embiid despite his recent foot injury.
The Cavaliers won the draft lottery despite having just a 1.7 percent chance of getting the number 1 overall pick and this came after the team won the top pick last season as well. According to Pro Basketball Talk and Joe Kotoch of Pro Basketball Draft, the Cavaliers and Jazz have spoken about a potential deal for the number 1 pick and it would involve Derrick Favors and the top five pick for the Jazz. The Jazz are not the first team to call, as ESPN.com reports that no fewer than eight teams have checked in about the number one overall pick.
Apart from the Jazz, the Sixers could be the most motivated team to move up to number one and now that Joel Embiid has injured his foot, the top part of the draft could get very dramatic. Coming into the draft this year, the consensus had Embiid, Wiggins and Parker as the top three prospects and they were considered likely to go over the first three picks in no particular order to the Cavaliers, Bucks and Sixers. Now with Embiid needing foot surgery, there is a chance that Wiggins and Parker could move up and that changes the entire top five, especially if Embiid slips past the Jazz, as he was considered a potential number one pick.
The Sixers reportedly love Wiggins and want to trade up for him and now they may not have a choice, as it's very likely he will go in the top two picks with Embiid injured. Philly has two top 10 picks in the draft lottery and they also could move Thaddeus Young in a deal for the number 1 pick. The Cavaliers now have to weigh some options, as they could get Favors and move down to number 5, or they could try and pry more out of the Sixers since they know they like Wiggins and now have some leverage with other teams in the mix and Embiid hurt.
The Cavaliers picked Anthony Bennett last year in the draft at number one and he was not good last season and now the team cannot afford to mess up another pick. The Jazz have Favors on a four-year, $48 million contract extension and that would kick in if the Cavs trade for him and if they do, it likely means that Tristan Thompson will be moved, as he plays the same position as Favors. The Cavaliers missed the playoffs again last season and they feel that they can get a great young core together with whoever they pick up in this draft and that could be the start of a turnaround for the team.
