SIXERS PRESIDENT and general manager Sam Hinkie did not look, act or sound like a man who was trying to run a shell game. Conspiracy theorists had looked at the timing of the Sixers' announcement that redshirt rookie center Joel Embiid was not healing as well as anticipated from the foot injury and surgery that cost him last season and determined that it was a smokescreen to hide Hinkie's true intentions for Thursday's NBA draft. Yesterday, that was put to rest. The concerns about Embiid are all too real. Hinkie said selecting Duke University freshman center Jahlil Okafor third overall was not connected to Embiid's situation. He said Okafor was the pick because he was the best player available. But what if there was no issue with Embiid? "I'd like to think we'd have had the courage to do it anyway," Hinkie responded when asked if he would have still selected Okafor. "I knew and it's hard to unknow where things stood with Joel, but I'd like to think we'd have the courage anyway." It would almost have been better had it been the mysterious Hinkie talking about Embiid. It would be easier on the concern meter to believe it was just Hinkie being Hinkie and not wanting to divulge any information that he feels might weaken his position. - See more at:http://www.philly.com/philly/sports...tely_concerned_about_Embiid_s_right_foot.html
