Chad Ford 2012 NBA Mock Draft: Breaking Down Ford's Latest Picks

Ever the warrior on the mock draft front, Chad Ford has published his updated NBA mock after the Houston Rockets shipped Chase Budinger to the Minnesota Timberwolves for the 18th pick.

Ford has become the Mel Kiper Jr. of the NBA draft, only he doesn't spam our television screens every other day with a new analysis on a guy going with the 247th pick (mostly because basketball doesn't make us sit through an insanely long draft), and he doesn't make us look at ridiculous hair.

The man works his butt off this time of year, so let's take a look at Ford's latest bit of work and really see what it's worth.

That's right, it's time for me to pretend like I know as much about the NBA and the draft as Chad Ford!

Hold onto your seats, and let's take a look at how my latest mock shakes out against Ford's.

1. New Orleans Hornets Select...

Chad Ford's Pick: Anthony Davis

My Pick: Anthony Davis 

C'mon now—was there ever any question here, and will there ever be?

Anthony Davis is No. 1. Moving on. 

2. Charlotte Bobcats Select...

Chad Ford's Pick: Thomas Robinson

My Pick: Thomas Robinson

Let's keep the agreements going here.

Thomas Robinson has more upside than any of the other guys at this point in the draft, and there's no way Michael Jordan is going with a safe pick like Michael Kidd-Gilchrist or Bradley Beal.

3. Washington Wizards Select...

Chad Ford's Pick: Bradley Beal

My Pick: Bradley Beal

Washington might as well have tweeted, "With the third pick in the 2012 NBA Draft, the Washington Wizards select Bradley Beal, Florida," when they traded for Trevor Ariza and Emeka Okafor.

While neither of those dudes are stars by any account, they're better than anyone they could grab at either of those positions in this draft, so Beal should be teaming up with John Wall.

4. Cleveland Cavaliers Select...

Chad Ford's Pick: Harrison Barnes

My Pick: Harrison Barnes

Cleveland is high on both Harrison Barnes and Bradley Beal, but it looks like the only way Beal will be the pick is if the Cavs trade up to No. 2, which isn't out of the realm of possibility at this point.

5. Sacramento Kings Select...

Chad Ford's Pick: Michael Kidd-Gilchrist

My Pick: Michael Kidd-Gilchrist

After the fifth pick, the talent level drops off a bit as far as surefire guys who are going to be every-day players in the next few years.

Michael Kidd-Gilchrist is the last of the Top-Five talent, so Sacramento should easily take him, unless the Kings do something shocking.

6. Portland Trail Blazers Select...

Chad Ford's Pick: Damian Lillard

My Pick: Damian Lillard

The Portland Trail Blazers got beat up pretty hard by the trades and free-agent signings they made, leaving them thin at the guard spot.

Raymond Felton was terrible compared to his previous two seasons, so they'll need to replace him, and Damian Lillard seems to be the point guard with the most upside in this draft.

7. Golden State Warriors Select...

Chad Ford's Pick: Andre Drummond

My Pick: Terrence Ross

Chad Ford tells us that Jerry West has fallen in love with Terrence Ross, turning him into a dark-horse candidate for the No. 7 pick.

West was the guy who settled on Klay Thompson last year, so he should have a huge say in who gets drafted this year.

8. Toronto Raptors Select...

Chad Ford's Pick: Dion Waiters

My Pick: Andre Drummond

Waiters would be an interesting pick for the Raptors at this point, unfortunately he plays the same position as their best players.

If Andre Drummond falls this far, Toronto should snatch him up and hope for the best.

9. Detroit Pistons Select...

Chad Ford's Pick: John Henson

My Pick: John Henson

Detroit really needs a guy to throw in there with Greg Monroe who can block some shots and get some nasty going.

If Henson showed anything playing alongside Tyler Zeller, it's that he's fine being the enforcer on the floor.

10. New Orleans Hornets Select...

Chad Ford's Pick: Austin Rivers

My Pick: Dion Waiters

It seems that if New Orleans goes with a guard here, it's going to play it safe rather than take a guy who could be a disaster.

Waiters can come in and fill a role as the scorer off the bench, playing a bit like a young Jason Terry at this point.

11. Portland Trail Blazers Select...

Chad Ford's Pick: Tyler Zeller

My Pick: Tyler Zeller

They went risky with the first pick, so it only makes sense that the Blazers go safe with the second pick they have in the lottery.

Zeller can come in and grab a few boards, put down some shots and not really detract from the direction of the team, unlike some of the other players who Portland could pick at this spot.

12. Milwaukee Bucks Select...

Chad Ford's Pick: Meyers Leonard

My Pick: Meyers Leonard

The Milwaukee Bucks traded away the only guy they had on their team who could start at center for them, getting a 6'3" guy and Kwame Brown in return.

Milwaukee has to take a big man with this pick—otherwise the Bucks could see a lot of Ekpe Udoh on the floor this year.

13. Phoenix Suns Select...

Chad Ford's Pick: Jeremy Lamb

My Pick: Kendall Marshall

The Suns are going to lose Steve Nash unless someone forges his signature on a contract, so it's going to be a necessity for them to grab a point guard.

Marshall isn't a sexy pick, but he is a solid point guard with a high IQ, which is never a bad thing.

14. Houston Rockets Select...

Chad Ford's Pick: Perry Jones III

My Pick: Jeremy Lamb

Lamb is the best guy available on the board, and it seems like Daryl Morey rarely lets things like positions they need to fill get in the way of picking a good player (although he won't ignore it completely).

Lamb would bring some good scoring off the bench for Houston as he learns the finer points of the game.

15. Philadelphia 76ers Select...

Chad Ford's Pick: Terrence Ross

My Pick: Perry Jones III

Philadelphia finds itself in need of an athletic big man, as it's been stuck watching Elton Brand and Spencer Hawes loaf around the court for a few years now.

Perry Jones is a gamble at any pick, but he's an athlete, and he could be something special.

16. Houston Rockets Select...

Chad Ford's Pick: Moe Harkless

My Pick: Moe Harkless

The Houston Rockets just traded away their starting small forward, so it seems safe to say that they'll draft a small forward with one of their many picks in this draft, should they keep them all.

17. Dallas Mavericks Select...

Chad Ford's Pick: Terrence Jones

My Pick: Terrence Jones

Terrence Jones has winning in his DNA, and the Dallas Mavericks are looking to do a little bit of winning next season.

Dallas needs a big man who can come in and play defense when needed and someone who isn't completely incompetent around the basket.

That's pretty much how one would describe Terrence Jones.

18. Houston Rockets Select...

Chad Ford's Pick: Arnett Moultrie

My Pick: Arnett Moultrie

While they probably won't actually use this pick in the draft, the Rockets could use another good big man (who couldn't, eh?), so Moultrie would be a nice pick here.

Moultrie has a big inside-outside game and is one of those rare players who can stretch the floor a bit and play a bit of defense.

19. Orlando Magic Select...

Chad Ford's Pick: Jared Sullinger

My Pick: Austin Rivers

It seems unlikely that the Orlando Magic would take a guy like Jared Sullinger with his back problems and their franchise in such a fragile state.

If Austin Rivers falls out of the lottery to Orlando, there's no reason why he won't get drafted here.

20. Denver Nuggets Select...

Chad Ford's Pick: Kendall Marshall

My Pick: Tony Wroten Jr.

What the Nuggets really need here is a point guard, but with no standout point guards available and worth taking at No. 20, it's going to be hard for them to justify reaching for one.

They might as well go for the player with the most potential left on the board at this point, which would be Tony Wroten.

21. Boston Celtics Select...

Chad Ford's Pick: Royce White

My Pick: Royce White

Royce White has become my favorite prospect over the past few months. Between his fear of flying and his huge hands, there are just too many things to keep me from disliking Boris Diaw 2.0.

The little big man who rebounds like a power forward, passes like a point guard, but is the size of a small forward officially becomes the most confusing player in the NBA.

22. Boston Celtics Select...

Chad Ford's Pick: Andrew Nicholson

My Pick: Jared Sullinger

If the Boston Celtics don't combine these picks into a higher selection, it seems like they could settle on taking a gamble with one of their back-to-back spots.

Jared Sullinger should slip far after his red flag, and he very well could be here for Boston to nab.

23. Atlanta Hawks Select...

Chad Ford's Pick: Tony Wroten Jr.

My Pick: Andrew Nicholson

Al Horford has been hobbled a bit over the past year, and other than that, the Hawks have just Zaza Pachulia on board to play for them as a big man next year. 

Some depth and some toughness are needed, both of which they'll get with Nicholson.

24. Cleveland Cavaliers Select...

Chad Ford's Pick: Fab Melo

My Pick: Fab Melo

This pick makes too much sense to go down, but it still seems like it'll happen.

Cleveland needs a center,—someone who can come in and block shots after Anderson Varejao gets too old to do his energy routine—so why not bring in fellow Brazilian Fab Melo to learn the game from him?

25. Memphis Grizzlies Select...

Chad Ford's Pick: Marquis Teague

My Pick: Quincy Miller

The Baylor forward has bounced around in mock drafts more than a superball in a daycare, but he should land somewhere in the late first round.

Miller has the ability to score, and although he doesn't have much athleticism and his knee is an issue, he's a good get at this point in the draft.

26. Indiana Pacers Select...

Chad Ford's Pick: Draymond Green

My Pick: Jeffery Taylor

Jeffery Taylor is a good athlete, shooter and a pretty good defender. It seems silly for the Pacers to go after Draymond Green, whose size and moderate athleticism give him a lower ceiling compared to guys like Taylor.

On top of that, Taylor can fill much of the same role that Green would for Indiana, only with more potential.

27. Miami Heat Select...

Chad Ford's Pick: Jeff Taylor

My Pick: Draymond Green

Green is a guy who could come in and find a nice little niche for Miami, playing some defense here, giving them some energy there and just being the best glue guy they could ask for.

28. Oklahoma City Thunder Select...

Chad Ford's Pick: Evan Fournier

My Pick: Evan Fournier

The biggest mystery at this point in the draft—and also a guy with quite a bit of upside should his game transfer well to the NBA.

I'd say there's a good chance it could, too.

Plus, as Ford points out, Fournier is a guy Oklahoma City could stash in Europe for a few more years while he matures.

29. Chicago Bulls Select...

Chad Ford's Pick: Will Barton

My Pick: Will Barton

While I still say the guy is too skinny at this point, it seems that Chicago is dead-set on Will Barton, which should make things interesting for the team.

Barton has the skill to be a good 2-guard, but he really needs to put some meat on those bones.

30. Golden State Warriors Select...

Chad Ford's Pick: Quincy Miller

My Pick: Kim English

With Klay Thompson sliding into the starting shooting guard role, the Warriors are going to need a guy who can step into the back-up role for the next few years.

Kim English is a great shooter and could learn the game well on the offensive side as he plays with Thompson and Stephen Curry.

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