2012 NBA Draft: Lottery Mock Draft

Kentucky Wildcats PF Anthony Davis
Andy Lyons/Getty Images

It's never too early to make predictions for a mock draft. A lot will change between now and the end of the season in terms of teams' records, but by this point in the season we have a pretty good idea which teams will be lottery-eligible.

Here is a rundown of the probable lottery teams' needs and possible selections in the upcoming draft.

Each slide will end with what player should be selected and which NBA player best reflects that draftees game.

Here's a breakdown of each slide's contents:

2011 First Round Draft Picks: What player was drafted by each team in the first round of last years draft.

Team's Best Player: Speaks for itself.

Future of the Franchise: Which player will carry the team into the foreseeable future.

Restricted Free Agents: Before this player is allowed to sign with a new club, the current club has a chance to match the terms of the new contract in which case the player must remain with the original team.

Unrestricted Free Agents: These players are free to entertain offers from all other teams and can sign with whomever they want.

Team Needs: In no particular order; positions that either need to be filled or could use an upgrade.

*Some players have initials closed in parenthesis after their name; this is the key: ETO = Early Termination Option; P = Player Option; T = Team Option

*Records are up-to-date through Wednesday, February, 15th, 2012.

No. 1 Pick: Charlotte Bobcats (3-25)

Charlotte Bobcats PG Kemba Walker
Streeter Lecka/Getty Images

2011 First Round Draft Picks: PF/C Bismack Biyombo & PG Kemba Walker

Team's Best Player: SG Gerald Henderson

Future of the Franchise: PG Kemba Walker

Restricted Free Agents: PG D.J. Augustin, F Derrick Brown, G Cory Higgins, PF D.J. White

Unrestricted Free Agents: SG Matt Carroll (ETO), PF Boris Diaw, C DeSagana Diop, SF/PF Eduardo Najera

Team Needs: Everything but PG

 

With the No. 1 overall selection in the 2012 NBA Draft the Charlotte Bobcats select:

Kentucky Wildcats PF Anthony Davis

NBA Comparison: Kevin Garnett

No. 2 & No. 12 Pick (Via Minnesota T'Wolves): New Orleans Hornets (5-23)

New Orleans Hornets SG Eric Gordon
Christian Petersen/Getty Images

2011 First Round Draft Pick: None

Team's Best Player: SG Eric Gordon

Future of the Franchise: SG Eric Gordon (will need to be re-signed)

Restricted Free Agents: SG Eric Gordon

Unrestricted Free Agents: SG Marco Belinelli, C Chris Kaman, PF Carl Landry

Team Needs: PF, C, SF 

 

With the No. 2 pick in the 2012 NBA Draft the New Orleans Hornets select:

UConn Huskies C Andre Drummond

NBA Comparison: DeMarcus Cousins

 

With the No. 12 pick in the 2012 NBA Draft the New Orleans Hornets select:

Kentucky Wildcats PG Marquis Teague

NBA Comparison: Rajon Rondo

No. 3 Pick: Washington Wizards (7-22)

Washington Wizards PG John Wall
Rob Carr/Getty Images

2011 First Round Draft Picks: F Jan Vesely & SF Chris Singleton

Team's Best Player: PG John Wall

Future of the Franchise: PG John Wall

Restricted Free Agents: C JaVale McGee

Unrestricted Free Agents: SF Maurice Evans, SG Roger Mason, C Ronny Turiaf, SG Nick Young

Team Needs: SG, SF, PF

 

With the No. 3 pick in the 2012 NBA Draft the Washington Wizards select:

UNC Tar Heels SF Harrison Barnes

NBA Comparison: Danny Granger

No. 4 Pick: Detroit Pistons (8-22)

Detroit Pistons PG/SG Brandon Knight
Mike Stobe/Getty Images

2011 First Round Draft Pick: PG Brandon Knight

Team's Best Player: PF/C Greg Monroe

Future of the Franchise: PF/C Greg Monroe

Restricted Free Agents: F Vernon Macklin, G Walker Russell

Unrestricted Free Agents: PF Jason Maxiell (P), C Ben Wallace, SF Damien Wilkins

Team Needs: True C, SG, SF

 

With the No. 4 pick in the 2012 NBA Draft the Detroit Pistons select:

Kansas Jayhawks PF Thomas Robinson

NBA Comparison: Udonis Haslem

No. 5 Pick: New Jersey Nets (8-21)

New Jersey Nets PG Deron Williams
Christian Petersen/Getty Images

2011 First Round Draft Pick: G MarShon Brooks

Team's Best Player: PG Deron Williams

Future of the Franchise: C Brook Lopez

Restricted Free Agents: PG Sundiata Gaines, C Brook Lopez

Unrestricted Free Agents: PG Jordon Farmar (P), PF Kris Humphries, SF Damion James, PF/C Mehmet Okur, SG DeShawn Stevenson, PG Deron Williams (P), SF Shawne Williams

Team Needs: SF, PF, SG (PG becomes priority if Deron Williams departs)

 

With the No. 5 pick in the 2012 NBA Draft the New Jersey Nets select:

Baylor Bears PF Perry Jones III

NBA Comparison: Lamar Odom

No. 6 Pick: Toronto Raptors (9-21)

Toronto Raptors SG DeMar DeRozan
Jed Jacobsohn/Getty Images

2011 First Round Draft Pick: C Jonas Valanciunas

Team's Best Player: PF Andrea Bargnani

Future of the Franchise: SG DeMar DeRozan

Restricted Free Agents: C Solomon Alabi

Unrestricted Free Agents: G Leandro Barbosa, PG Jerryd Bayless, SF Rasual Butler, G Anthony Carter, C Aaron Gray, C Jamaal Magloire

Team Needs: SF, PG, Scorer off of the bench

 

With the No. 6 pick in the 2012 NBA Draft the Toronto Raptors select:

Kentucky Wildcats SF Michael Kidd-Gilchrist

NBA Comparison: Rudy Gay

No. 7 Pick: Sacramento Kings (10-18)

Sacramento Kings C DeMarcus Cousins
Mike Ehrmann/Getty Images

2011 First Round Draft Pick: G Jimmer Fredette

Teams Best Player: G Tyreke Evans

Future of the Franchise: C DeMarcus Cousins

Restricted Free Agents: SF Donte Greene, PF J.J. Hickson, PF Jason Thompson

Unrestricted Free Agents: None

Teams Needs: PF, SF

 

With the No. 7 pick in the 2012 NBA Draft the Sacramento Kings select:

Mississippi State Bulldogs PF Arnett Moultrie

NBA Comparison: Jason Smith

No. 8 Pick: Cleveland Cavaliers (10-16)

Cleveland Cavaliers PG Kyrie Irving
Kevin C. Cox/Getty Images

2011 First Round Draft Pick: PG Kyrie Irving & PF Tristan Thompson

Teams Best Player: PG Kyrie Irving

Future of the Franchise: PG Kyrie Irving

Restricted Free Agents: C Semih Erden, SF Alonzo Gee, F Luke Harangody

Unrestricted Free Agents: C Ryan Hollins, PF Antawn Jamison, G Anthony Parker, PG Ramon Sessions (P)

Team Needs: True C, SG, SF

 

With the No. 8 pick in the 2012 NBA Draft the Cleveland Cavaliers select:

Ohio State PF Jared Sullinger

NBA Comparison: Paul Millsap

No. 9 Pick: Phoenix Suns (12-17)

Phoenix Suns PG Steve Nash
Christian Petersen/Getty Images

2011 First Round Draft Pick: F Markieff Morris 

Team's Best Player: PG Steve Nash

Future of the Franchise: Not looking good

Restricted Free Agents: C Robin Lopez

Unrestricted Free Agents: SG Shannon Brown, SF Grant Hill, PG Steve Nash, PG Ronnie Price, SG Michael Redd

Team Needs: PG, SG, SF

 

With the No. 9 pick in the 2012 NBA Draft the Phoenix Suns select:

UNC Tar Heels PG Kendall Marshall

NBA Comparison: Deron Williams

 

No. 10 Pick: Milwaukee Bucks (12-16)

Milwaukee Bucks PG Brandon Jennings
Jonathan Daniel/Getty Images

2011 First Round Draft Pick: F Tobias Harris

Team's Best Player: C Andrew Bogut

Future of the Franchise: PG Brandon Jennings

Restricted Free Agents: None

Unrestricted Free Agents: SF Carlos Delfino, PF Ersan Ilyasova, PG Beno Udrih (P)

Team Needs: SG, PF, SF

 

With the No. 10 pick in the 2012 NBA Draft the Milwaukee Bucks select:

UConn Huskies SG Jeremy Lamb

NBA Comparison: Brandon Rush

No. 11 Pick: Golden State Warriors (11-14)

Golden State Warriors PG Stephen Curry
Ezra Shaw/Getty Images

2011 First Round Draft Pick: SG Klay Thompson

Team's Best Player: SG Monta Ellis

Future of the Franchise: PG Stephen Curry

Restricted Free Agents: SG Brandon Rush, F Chris Wright

Unrestricted Free Agents: C Kwame Brown, SF Dominic McGuire, PG Nate Robinson

Team Needs: SF, scoring off of the bench, C

 

With the No. 11 pick in the 2012 NBA Draft the Golden State Warriors select:

Illinois Fighting Illini C Meyers Leonard

NBA Comparison: Andrew Bynum

No. 13 Pick: Utah Jazz (14-14)

Utah Jazz C Enes Kanter
Mike Stobe/Getty Images

2011 First Round Draft Picks: PF/C Enes Kanter & SG Alec Burks

Team's Best Player: C Al Jefferson

Future of the Franchise: PF Derrick Favors

Restricted Free Agents: SF Jeremy Evans, PG Jamaal Tinsley (T)

Unrestricted Free Agents: SF Josh Howard, SF C.J. Miles

Team Needs: PG, SF, SG

 

With the No. 13 pick in the 2012 NBA Draft the Utah Jazz select:

Texas Longhorns PG Myck Kabongo

NBA Comparison: Mike Conley Jr.

No. 14 Pick: Memphis Grizzlies (15-14)

Memphis Grizzlies PG Mike Conley Jr.
Kevin C. Cox/Getty Images

2011 First Round Draft Pick: None

Team's Best Player: PF Zach Randolph

Future of the Franchise: SF Rudy Gay

Restricted Free Agents: PF Darrell Arthur, SG O.J. Mayo, PF Marreese Speights, SF Sam Young

Unrestricted Free Agents: C Hamed Haddadi

Team Needs: SG, C

 

With the No. 14 pick in the 2012 NBA Draft the Memphis Grizzlies select:

Florida Gators SG Bradley Beal

NBA Comparison: Ben Gordon