After months of waiting and grueling anticipation, the 2014 NBA draft is finally here as prospects from one of the deepest classes in recent memory finally find out which teams they'll be playing for in the Association. Below are the complete results and selections from Thursday night.This year's draft has been completely shaken up due to the recent news regarding big man Joel Embiid. According to Adrian Wojnarowski of Yahoo Sports, Embiid is expected to miss four to six months with a fractured foot, killing his chances of being the No. 1 overall pick.It seems that the Cleveland Cavaliers are unsure of what they want to do with the first overall selection in the wake of Embiid's injury. ESPN.com's Chad Ford and Jeff Goodman reported on Wednesday that the team was torn between Andrew Wiggins or Jabari Parker with the top pick. Later that day, Andy Katz of ESPN.com reported that the Cavs were trying to fly in Dante Exum for a last-minute workout.
Exum is a name that has been considered a lock at No. 4 overall to the Orlando Magic, but because of Embiid's injury, he now appears to be a top-three pick. The 6'6" 18-year-old looks like a potential All-Star point guard, comparing well to a player like Michael Carter-Williams, although he tends to be a more aggressive scorer.
Meanwhile, the news surrounding NBA superstar LeBron James meant some teams quickly had to change the way they approached this year's draft. LeBron will opt out of his contract with the Miami Heat, according to ESPN's Chris Broussard. Now that he's a free agent, teams are looking to trade draft picks in the hopes of either clearing up cap space or recruiting enough talent to convince the 29-year-old to join them.
Teams have already begun making moves just before the draft. According to Wojnarowski, the Houston Rockets have acquired a future first-round pick while trading away the expensive contract of Omer Asik. The New York Knicks traded Tyson Chandler and Raymond Felton as part of a six-player deal to the Dallas Mavericks, according to Sam Amick of USA Today.
With so much happening heading into the draft, there are bound to be plenty more trades on Thursday night. Along with top-tier talent like Wiggins and Parker, other intriguing names will be looking to make a splash at the next level. From young freshmen talent like Aaron Gordon, Noah Vonleh and Julius Randle to two-time NCAA champion Shabazz Napier, teams will be hoping they've found the perfect players for their respective franchises.
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