The Cleveland Cavaliers are believed to be drafting Duke's Jabari Parker as the number one pick in the upcoming draft.
According to CBSSports, the Cavs are leaning toward the do-it-all forward now that former consensus number one pick Joel Embiid will be out for four to six months after undergoing foot surgery. Parker is considered as a more NBA-ready player than Kansas guard/forward Andrew Wiggins, who could fall to the Bucks with the number two pick.
The CBS Sports report also suggests that despite rumors of the Cavs shopping the first pick, it "would be out of character for Cleveland GM David Griffin to trade the top pick."
With Embiid's injury, it's now a toss-up between Parker and Wiggins. The Cavaliers, coming off a disappointing 2013-14 season where they ended out of the playoffs, are believed to be more inclined to draft Parker who is more polished than Wiggins. While Wiggins has superior athleticism, Parker is a versatile offensive weapon who stands out with excellent shooting mechanics, terrific footwork and long range ability. He can go to the rim, post up, crash the offensive boards, and share the ball with his teammates.
If the Cavs draft him, he could immediately fill in the small forward slot for Cleveland providing the team with a young prospect. He could also replace veteran Luol Deng who is expected to leave the team as an unrestricted free agent following a tumultuous year with the Cavs. Parker can partner with forward Tristan Thompson upfront.
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