2012 NBA Draft Lottery: Power Ranking Every Team's Lottery Representative

Sending a coach, GM or player to represent a club at the NBA draft lottery is boring, yet that is the most common avenue for teams. 

Last year, the Cavs stole the evening, not by just winning the No. 1 selection, but because Nick Gilbert, son of Cavs owner Dan Gilbert, was the most fun representative on stage. 

Why not have a little fun when bestowing this honor? I'd like to see a team send a charming, longtime employee that never gets any spotlight, like a trainer, a secretary or the person that washes the jerseys. 

That would be infinitely better than something like the Clippers sending Elgin Baylor year after year to sit on stage and frown while his team earned a high pick that would be spent on a player who would invariably be quickly injured, disgruntled or misused. 

With all of this in mind, let's rank this year's representatives.

No. 12: Charlotte Bobcats, GM Rich Cho

What exactly does Michael Jordan do for this franchise? The only viable conclusion at this point is run it into the ground. 

When you have a one of the biggest sports icons and most recognizable faces on the planet as an owner, events like this are custom-made for said owner to rep his team. 

I suppose this is a nice show of confidence to Cho—who, in his first year as Bobcats GM, oversaw a the club that put up the worst winning percentage in the history of the NBA. 

Overall, this is a boring selection, and it is for a franchise that desperately needed to do something memorable. 

No. 11: Golden State Warriors, GM Bob Myers

Bob Myers is a completely forgettable selection, but at least he didn't get viciously booed like owner Joe Lacob and legend Rick Barry did recently. 

The Warriors need Myers to flash a little luck here. If they can sneak into to the top seven, they get to keep their pick. 

No. 10: Milwaukee Bucks: GM John Hammond

Again, we have another boring selection of a GM. It's not like these guys can do anything strategically to help their team at this event. 

Hammond has been the Bucks GM since 2008; Bucks fans don't need to get to know him. 

No. 9: Toronto Raptors, Head Coach Dwayne Casey

I like Casey as a coach. Given time, I think his defensive mentality can build a winner. He is not the most charismatic person, however. 

You are hard-pressed to ever see Casey smiling, and that is really the only thing that is interesting about this selection: If the Raptors buck the odds and land the No. 1 pick, will Casey smile? 

No. 8: Portland Trail Blazers, G Wesley Matthews the Blazers

What are the Blazers really going to do here? They have been firing GMs left and right and at all points on the calendar. They also got rid of coach Nate McMillan in midseason. This is a team in transition. 

This would have been the perfect opportunity for a team to think outside the box, but instead, The Blazers sent one player on the roster they must not be unhappy with. 

No. 7: Detroit Pistons, G Brandon Knight

Knight had a solid rookie year. He averaged 12.8 points and 3.8 assists per game. He also follows Greg Monroe, who represented the Pistons at the lottery last year after his rookie season. 

This is a nice honor bestowed upon a rookie for a fine season. 

No. 6: Houston Rockets, F Chandler Parsons

Last year, Parsons slid all the way to the second round. He then flashed a game that proved he was at least worthy of lottery selection by averaging 9.5 points and 4.8 rebounds per game. 

At least now, the Rockets will give him a taste of that lottery process. 

No. 5: New Orleans Hornets, Head coach Monty Williams

The Hornets get a pass. The sale, which passes the team from the NBA to Tom Benson, is just wrapping up the legal mumbo jumbo. So who could they really send? 

No. 4: Washington Wizards, Owner's son Zach Leonsis

The Wizards took note of how well it worked out for the Cavs last year when Nick Gilbert represented the team. So they took a page out of that book by sending Ted Leonsis' son Zach. 

This is a nice thing for a father to do for his son. The problem with this is that Zach is a grown man, which turns the charm of having your son sit up there on TV as something that could easily be construed as unearned entitlement.

Either way, at least it is a slight break from the norm.

No. 3: Phoenix Suns, VP of Player Programs Mark West

I like this selection. West spent time as the Suns center, and he has transitioned into a front office employee. It is nice to see him get a little reward for his hard work and loyalty. 

No. 2: Sacramento Kings: Owner Adrienne Maloof

This was a hard selection to grade. At first, I balked against it because the last thing anyone needs is for one of the stars of a Real Housewives show to get more airtime. 

But then I changed my stance. Adrienne is the one Maloof that Sacramento fans don't have reason to outwardly despise. Brothers Joe and Gavin have been running the point on some seemingly shady dealings that caused the new arena deal in Sacramento to fall through.

She also was the one that had to talk her brother into attending a Kings game at the end of the 2010-11 season when the public thought it might be there last.  

The Kings are in a terrible spot right now, and Adrienne seems to be the only Maloof with enough class to handle it with dignity.... I can't believe I just said that about a Real Housewives star. 

No. 1: Cleveland Cavaliers, Owner's son Nick Gilbert 

Back to the well for Cleveland. This selection was a no-brainer after the success of last year. When you have a good thing going with the Lady Luck, you don't tempt her by changing the process. 

Maybe this will work again, and maybe it won't, but you have to try it, right? 

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