2012 NBA Draft: Lottery Mock Draft
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)
1 of 132011 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)
2 of 132011 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)
3 of 132011 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)
4 of 132011 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)
5 of 132011 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)
6 of 132011 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)
7 of 132011 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)
8 of 132011 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)
9 of 132011 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)
10 of 132011 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)
11 of 132011 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)
12 of 132011 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)
13 of 132011 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
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