2012 NBA Mock Draft: Breaking Down Ideal Fits for Every 1st-Round Team
As the NBA regular season winds down and the playoffs are set to begin, the NBA draft is the next thing on the schedule for the NBA fan.
June will be here before you know it, and there will be an opportunity for each team to fill a big need. This draft promises to be a deep one, and several rookies could find themselves playing a big role in 2013 on their new teams.
Here’s a look at our latest mock draft and the ideal fit for every team in the first round.
1. Charlotte Bobcats: Anthony Davis, Kentucky
After 20 consecutive losses, the Bobcats have more than one major pressing need to fill, but taking the best player on the board is the move to make.
The Bobcats won’t begin to turn things around until they can defend their basket, and Davis can make a huge impact in that department. His 4.7 BPG led the nation, and his long wingspan makes it tough for opposing teams to attack the paint.
2. Washington Wizards: Thomas Robinson, Kansas
Washington also has plenty of holes to fill, with one of them being an athletic, productive player to play alongside John Wall.
Robinson was a double-double machine at Kansas, averaging 17.9 PPG and 11.9 RPG on the season. He can run the floor and rise above the rim as well as score in the post. After seeing some of the knuckleheads pass through Washington lately, a high-character guy such as Robinson is a must.
3. New Orleans Hornets: Michael Kidd-Gilchrist, Kentucky
The Hornets need a leader for the future, and Kidd-Gilchrist’s leadership skills and work ethic are some of his top qualities. New Orleans needs some scoring and rebounding help, and MKG can become a very productive wing player in the NBA.
After a season in which he averaged 11.9 PPG and 7.9 RPG, resulting in a national championship, Kidd-Gilchrist has all the tools needed to become an outstanding NBA small forward.
4. Sacramento Kings: Andre Drummond, Connecticut
No team in the NBA allows more points than the 104.4 PPG Sacramento does. They could use a big body to pair with DeMarcus Cousins, and while Drummond may be a risk, his upside is as high as that of Davis.
Drummond can rebound (7.7 RPG) and block shots (2.9 BPG) and could help turn the Kings around in a big way.
5. Cleveland Cavaliers: Bradley Beal, Florida
The Cavs are in search of good athletes and could use some scoring punch. Beal fills both needs and could be the best pure scorer in this draft after a nice season at Florida where he averaged 14.8 PPG.
Paired next to Kyrie Irving, Cleveland will have a very nice, young backcourt for years to come.
6. Toronto Raptors: Harrison Barnes, North Carolina
The biggest need for the Raptors is production from the wing, given the fact that they get under 17.0 PPG from their small forwards on the season.
Barnes has the ability to become a No. 1 scoring option in the NBA, and his 17.7 PPG average on the season shows that he has that type of ability.
7. Portland Trail Blazers (via New Jersey Nets): Damian Lillard, Weber State
With two lottery picks, the Blazers would like to come out of this draft with both a productive guard and a big man.
Lillard is the top point guard on the board and is definitely productive, averaging 24.5 PPG on the season.
8. Utah Jazz (via Golden State Warriors): Kendall Marshall, North Carolina
If this pick sneaks into the top seven it stays with Golden State, which would completely reshape the rest of the lottery picks. For now though, the Jazz get their point guard of the future, even if it requires reaching a bit for Marshall.
He’s the best pure point guard in the draft with outstanding floor vision and decision-making skills. After averaging 9.8 APG and a 3.48 assist-to-turnover ratio, Marshall seems more than fit to run an NBA offense.
9. Detroit Pistons: John Henson, North Carolina
The Pistons need to get more athletic, and adding a super athlete like Henson could be big for them.
Given Henson’s instincts at the defensive end of the floor and outstanding court coverage (2.9 BPG), he would look very nice paired with Greg Monroe in a Pistons frontcourt. His offensive game is a bit raw, but Henson can do a lot well on the court and can make an impact right away.
10. New Orleans Hornets (via Minnesota Timberwolves): Jared Sullinger, Ohio State
If the Hornets can fill two needs by adding a productive wing player in Kidd-Gilchrist and a big man with the chance to produce in Sullinger, then this draft could become a huge success.
There are questions about Sullinger’s athleticism, but his post game is as good as any big man eligible for this draft. He may not average the 17.6 PPG and 9.3 RPG he did this season in leading the Buckeyes to the Final Four, but he should be productive nonetheless.
11. Portland Trail Blazers: Tyler Zeller, North Carolina
Zeller is a seven-footer and a legitimate center prospect. He may not be a big star in the NBA, but he’s seasoned and can produce.
He’s got a very nice touch around the basket, averaging 16.5 PPG while shooting 55 percent from the floor. Zeller also has good leaping skills, pulling down 9.6 RPG. He’s very good fundamentally, and hopefully the Blazers will have more success with Zeller than they did with Greg Oden.
12. Milwaukee Bucks: Perry Jones III, Baylor
This is a tough spot for the Bucks as they could use a productive big man here, but with the top guys already off the board, they could roll the dice on Jones, who has the chance to become a star.
He was very inconsistent in college but has the skill set that says he should be a top-five pick. Someone is going to roll the dice on the Baylor product, and why not the Bucks, who could also use a productive small forward? Jones can play the 3 or the 4, so he makes sense for Milwaukee.
13. Houston Rockets: Austin Rivers, Duke
The Rockets need backcourt depth with Kevin Martin only signed through next season, and they could land a replacement for down the road in Rivers.
He’s a natural scorer (15.5 PPG) who can shoot the jumper as well as finish around the rim. If he becomes a more consistent shooter and learns to play better without the ball, Rivers has the chance to become a future NBA star.
14. Phoenix Suns: Terrence Jones, Kentucky
The Suns can add another athletic piece to their future in Jones.
He’s got great length, stands 6’9”, and can both rebound (7.2 RPG) and score in traffic (12.3 PPG), but he’s also a guy who can score on all three levels effectively, shooting 50 percent from the floor as well as 33 percent from three-point range.
15. Philadelphia 76ers: Jeremy Lamb, Connecticut
The Sixers can add a nice backcourt piece for the future in Lamb, who has the pure talent to go much higher in the draft.
Lamb is a gifted scorer with a solid mid-range game and a very quick first step. He averaged 17.7 PPG and shot 48 percent from the floor, all while showing the ability to carry the UConn offense at times. Philadelphia really needs perimeter shooting as well, and Lamb shot a steady 37 percent from behind the arc.
16. Houston Rockets (via New York Knicks) Arnett Moultrie, Mississippi State
The Rockets will fill another need with a productive big man in Moultrie (16.4 PPG and 10.5 RPG).
He’s got the size and strength to play either the 4 or the 5 and the speed and agility of a guard. He’s a freak of an athlete who could become a very good NBA player.
17. Utah Jazz: Terrence Ross, Washington
The Jazz can add a potentially productive 2-guard in Ross in addition to their previous pick of Marshall.
Ross has range on his jumper, 37 percent from behind the arc, and has the athletic ability to get to the rim. At 6’6”, he also has the size that makes him a very good rebounder (6.5 RPG).
18. Dallas Mavericks: Meyers Leonard, Illinois
The Mavs need some size and youth, and while Leonard won’t be a star right away, he has all the skills needed to be a productive big man in the NBA.
He averaged 13.6 PPG and shot .584 from the floor, while pulling down 8.2 RPG and blocking 1.9 shots a night. Leonard will have to add some muscle to do that in the NBA, but the talent is definitely there.
19. Denver Nuggets: Tony Wroten, Washington
Denver is really only looking to add some depth this late in the draft and can afford to take a chance on Wroten, who has the talent to become one of the top guards in this class.
He has some developing to do, but he could excel in George Karl’s up-tempo attack. Wroten is lightning quick with a great chance of direction. He can score the ball (16.7 PPG), and the Nuggets can afford to be patient waiting for the rest of his game to come along.
20. Orlando Magic: Marquis Teague, Kentucky
The Magic could reach for a big guy here with eyes on Dwight Howard leaving, but they may be better off looking for that via trade and grabbing their point guard of the future here.
Teague has some developing to do and could learn something from a guy like Jameer Nelson. The Kentucky product has a world of skills and the speed necessary to be a terror in transition.
21. Boston Celtics: Andrew Nicholson, St. Bonaventure
Nicholson could be the steal of the draft and fill an immediate need for the Celtics in a productive, young big man.
He can score from anywhere, shooting 57 percent from the floor and 47 percent from behind the arc on the season but is also an effective rebounder (8.5 RPG) and shot-blocker (2.0 BPG) as well.
22. Atlanta Hawks: Doron Lamb, Kentucky
With Joe Johnson having success at the 3, the Hawks have a huge hole at the shooting guard spot.
Lamb has the chance to be a lethal scorer, especially from the outside where he hit 46 percent of his three-point attempts on the season.
23. Memphis Grizzlies: Dion Waiters, Syracuse
Waiters will fill a need for Memphis and add some scoring punch off the bench.
He’s a combo-guard who can make a living at getting into the paint but also has an above-average perimeter shot, connecting 36 percent of the time from behind the arc.
24. Boston Celtics (via Los Angeles Clippers): Royce White, Iowa State
White has the ability to become a star in the NBA and down the road could turn into the Celtics' eventual replacement for Paul Pierce.
He can score and rebound, averaging 13.4 PPG and 9.3 RPG in leading Iowa State to the NCAA tournament, but he also has the court vision of a guard, leading the Cyclones with 5.1 APG.
While it’s true the Celtics need a shooting guard to replace Ray Allen, Boston will have a ton of money to play with in the offseason and can address that need then.
25. Cleveland Cavaliers (via Los Angeles Lakers): Jeffery Taylor, Vanderbilt
Taylor is a great athlete who can become a lockdown perimeter defender as well as a pretty good NBA scorer. Now that he has added a perimeter shot (42 percent), Taylor has the chance to become a complete package of a small forward.
26. Indiana Pacers: Moe Harkless, St. Johns
In any other draft, Harkless could be a lottery pick, and there’s still a chance that could happen between now and June.
Right now though, the Pacers get to add some more athleticism to their rotation. Harkless is an effective slasher, who averaged 15.3 PPG as a freshman and also has the skills to become a good NBA defender.
27. Miami Heat: Festus Ezeli, Vanderbilt
Ezeli adds a big body to Miami, something they really need. He can block shots (2.0 BPG) and while his offensive game is raw, he’s got a good feel for the game and can finish around the rim, shooting 60 percent on the floor for the season.
28. Oklahoma City Thunder: Draymond Green, Michigan State
Green gives the Thunder some frontcourt depth as they need a quality backup at both the 3 and the 4. Green, while not having great skills that will translate to the NBA, does have very good skills in almost every area.
If his NCAA tournament performance where he had a triple-double and a pair of double-doubles is any indication, Green could become a pretty good NBA player down the road.
29. Golden State Warriors (via San Antonio Spurs): Kris Joseph, Syracuse
The Warriors could elect to add more size this late, but they need a productive small forward, and Joseph has the skill set to become a very good NBA player.
He’s very active at both ends of the floor, which Mark Jackson should like, and the 13.4 PPG he averaged at Syracuse is something that could increase in the NBA. Not every NBA team is as deep as the Syracuse team he played on this season.
30. Chicago Bulls: John Jenkins, Vanderbilt
Jenkins could become the 2-guard the Bulls need to replace Richard Hamilton down the road.
Even if he’s not, he adds more shooting, and you can never have too much shooting. Jenkins has unlimited range and shot 44 percent from behind the arc on the season. His smooth stroke will make him a productive NBA player for years.
