NBA News Wire
NBA roundup: Embiid set for foot surgery
Jeff Hawkins is an award-winning sportswriter with more than four decades in the industry (print and digital media). A freelance writer/stay-at-home dad since 2008, Hawkins started his career with newspaper stints in Michigan, North Carolina, Florida, Upstate New York and Illinois, where he earned the 2004 APSE first-place award for column writing (under 40,000 circulation). As a beat writer, he covered NASCAR Winston Cup events at NHIS (1999-2003), the NHL's Chicago Blackhawks (2003-06) and the NFL's Carolina Panthers (2011-12). Hawkins penned four youth sports books, including a Michael Jordan biography. Hawkins' main hobbies include mountain bike riding, 5k trail runs at the Whitewater Center in Charlotte, N.C., and live music.
All posts by Jeff HawkinsUpdated15 Oct 2021
Potential first overall draft pick Joel Embiid will require surgery to repair a fractured right foot.
Agent Arn Tellem said in a statement Thursday that Embiid would undergo an operation and would not attend next week’s draft. According to Tellem,
Embiid sustained a stress fracture to the navicular bone in his right foot in recent days.
The 7-foot Kansas freshman was in the mix to be the top overall pick, but the latest injury could push the Cleveland Cavaliers toward Jayhawks forward Andrew Wiggins or Duke forward Jabari Parker.
Embiid missed the postseason in March with a stress fracture in his back, which some teams believe could be a chronic issue. He averaged 11.2 points, 8.1 rebounds and 2.6 blocks as a freshman last season.
–An angry Miami Heat president Pat Riley didn’t hold back as he addressed the media for the first time since the team’s loss to the San Antonio Spurs in the NBA Finals and now faces the challenge of keeping the team together.
“You want to trend something? I’m pissed. Get that trending,” Riley said to open the press conference. “Everyone needs to get a grip, including the players.”
Forward LeBron James, guard Dwyane Wade and center Chris Bosh can all opt out of their current contracts and become free agents this summer. They each have two seasons and at least $40 million remaining on the contracts they signed in 2010.
“I think all those guys that have come here have got exactly what they wanted,” Riley said of his Big 3. “And we hope that all those guys want to come with us. What cements a forever bond is going through what we went through this season and staying the course.”
–One week before the 2014 NBA Draft, jockeying for position is becoming intense for teams trying to acquire veteran power forward Kevin Love from the Minnesota Timberwolves.
Shooting guard Klay Thompson could be part of a bountiful offer from the Golden State Warriors, according to his father, Mychal Thompson, who told ESPN Radio that the deal was on the table.
Thompson said the Warriors could also receive shooting guard Kevin Martin, backup point guard J.J. Berea and Minnesota’s first-round pick (13th overall), for Klay Thompson and power forward David Lee.
The Denver Nuggets, Chicago Bulls, Boston Celtics, and Phoenix Suns reportedly are interested in acquiring Love, who is entering the final season of his contract.
