Bucks plan to pass on Embiid

Milwaukee Bucks co-owner Marc Lasry told the Milwaukee Journal Sentinel that the team will not take Kansas center Joel Embiid with the No. 2 pick in the NBA draft.

Embiid was projected to go No. 1 before it was revealed last week that he has a foot injury that requires surgery.

The Cleveland Cavaliers are expected to take either Kansas guard/forward Andrew Wiggins or Duke small forward Jabari Parker with the No. 1 pick. That means Milwaukee will likely take the other.

“Our decision got a lot easier, mainly because Embiid got hurt,” Lasry said.

He also said, “It’s hard to take Embiid. We want somebody who is going to help us on Day 1.”

The Bucks went 15-67 last season.

The Philadelphia 76ers, who have the No. 3 pick, are interested in taking Embiid, according to the Philadelphia Daily News.

The rationale in taking Embiid is that he would complement fellow big man Nerlens Noel, who fell to the Sixers last year after an ACL injury dropped his stock.

A mock draft by The Sports Xchange projected Embiid as the No. 7 pick, which belongs to the Los Angeles Lakers. The Lakers are looking for a replacement for power forward/center Pau Gasol and Embiid could fall right into their lap.