2012 NBA Draft Order: 5 Teams That Got Screwed

Now that the draft order is set, people in New Orleans and Charlotte are probably dancing in the streets.  If the current odds hold, each team will receive either Anthony Davis or Thomas Robinson and thus set the wheels in motion for future glory.

But what about lottery teams that didn't beat the odds?  The Washington Wizards had the second-worst record in the league, yet they received the third overall pick.  In the case of the Brooklyn Nets, they didn't even receive a first-round pick thanks to their trade for Gerald Wallace last season.

Long story short, some teams got screwed in terms of both the lottery and draft order.  Here are the five that got it the worst.

No. 5: Phoenix Suns

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The Suns have the 14th pick, which is fair considering how they just barely missed out on the playoffs. Yet they still got the short end of the stick.

All-Star point guard and two-time MVP Steve Nash is a free agent in July, and given the state of the team now, one more puzzle piece is needed to make them contenders again. 

If you ask me, their greatest need is at small forward.  Jared Dudley is good, but he's little more than a three-point threat and doesn't have the same explosive presence as one-time Sun Shawn Marion.

Basically, whoever the Suns pick is going to affect whether or not Nash signs a new contract to stay with them.  Should he leave, they have to start from scratch, and in case you didn't know, a player like Nash is almost irreplaceable.

No. 4: Golden State Warriors

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The Warriors have the seventh pick, but there's really no telling what they'll do on draft night.  As of now, their starting lineup for next year will probably be as follows:

PG: Stephen Curry

SG: Klay Thompson

SF: Dorell Wright

PF: David Lee

C: Andrew Bogut

Unless one of those five goes down with a major injury, the first-round pick is probably going to spend all of next season coming off the bench.  Given each starter's immense talent, the rookie will also be battling for minutes.

As impatient as NBA fans are, Golden State's first-round pick seems destined to be labeled a bust.

No. 3: Portland Trail Blazers

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The Blazers have two picks in the first round, the sixth and the 11th.  Under normal circumstances, most fans would consider that a major blessing.  However, the skeptic in me is saying that this is a curse for Portland.

Keep in mind, this is the team that picked Greg Oden over Kevin Durant.  Over the past 10 years, the picks they have made and kept (not ones they've traded for like Brandon Roy) have not panned out.

That said, the order didn't screw the Portland Trail Blazers.  However, their front office probably will.

No. 2: Washington Wizards

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After seeing the lottery results, Washington Wizards owner Ted Leonsis (pictured) is probably feeling the pressure. 

His team's greatest need is at power forward, and by the time it's their turn to pick third, the two best in the draft pool, Anthony Davis and Thomas Robinson, will probably be gone.

That said, if the team remains committed to filling that hole, they have two options. 

They can either trade the pick and roll the dice on either Trevor Booker and/or Andray Blatche, or they can take a gamble on another rookie power forward like Perry Jones III or Jared Sullinger.

No matter how you look at it, you have to hope that the Wizards had a Plan B in the event they didn't get the first or second pick.

No. 1: Brooklyn Nets

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If there's any team that's hurting after the draft lottery, it's the Nets. 

They had the best shot at receiving the sixth pick in the draft, but they traded their first-round selection to Portland back in March in exchange for Gerald Wallace.  Unless they made the Top Three in the lottery, they wouldn't get a pick in the first round.

As fate would have it, the Nets were awarded the sixth pick and it immediately went to Portland.  Needless to say, team owner Mikhail Prokhorov must be reconsidering his options as his team prepares to open next season.

You see, the Nets are in an interesting position. 

Star point guard Deron Williams is about to hit free agency and he plans to test the market.  During the season, he called out the team for not having enough true starters, and he was right.  Thus, it's no wonder that the Nets had been trying all season long to acquire All-Star center Dwight Howard from the Orlando Magic.

Now that they don't even have a first-round pick, acquiring him just became a lot harder. 

Aside from guard MarShon Brooks and center Brook Lopez, the Nets have no real assets they can offer for Howard.  Throw in the fact that they probably won't deal Brooks, and the odds of Williams staying become even slimmer.

As a result, at least at this point, it looks as though the Brooklyn Nets will be little more than an expansion team next season.