2012 NBA Mock Draft: First Mock Post-Regular Season

With the NBA regular season in the books, it’s not too soon to focus on the 2012 NBA draft in June.

The standings are final; the only thing left up in the air is how the lottery will affect the positioning of the Top 14 teams.

Here’s a look at my first postseason NBA mock draft (a possible draft order) as the final standings have affected quite a few picks.

Like they’ve been all season long, the Charlotte Bobcats are on the clock.

1. Charlotte Bobcats: Anthony Davis, Kentucky

After 23 straight losses, setting an all-time NBA record for futility in the process, Michael Jordan’s Bobcats need some good news.

They can get that by winning the lottery. If they do, Davis is the only way to go.  He will make an impact right away with his size and insane length and doesn’t need the ball in his hands to impact the game.

Changing the way the Bobcats attack the defensive end of the floor should be the first step in rebuilding the Bobcats, and selecting Davis is a step in the right direction.

2. Washington Wizards:  Michael Kidd-Gilchrist, Kentucky

Kidd-Gilchrist jumps back up to the No. 2 spot and is a perfect fit for the Wizards as they need his leadership skills as much as they do his athletic talent.

He will be a shutdown defender who can guard multiple positions, but he gives John Wall a running mate when the Wizards look to push the ball, which will be big in the long run.

3. New Orleans Hornets: Thomas Robinson, Kansas

The Hornets have a lot of holes to fill, and adding a potentially dominant power forward in Robinson is a step in the right direction.

Robinson stands only 6’9”, but he’s explosive and can help immediately improve New Orleans’ two biggest weaknesses on the season, scoring and rebounding, as he was a double-double machine on the season, posting 27 of them in leading Kansas to the title game.

4. Cleveland Cavaliers, Bradley Beal, Florida

Cleveland needs athletes to play with Kyrie Irving, and Beal is the smart pick here. He could turn out to be the best scorer in the draft after a productive season in which he averaged 14.8 PPG on the season.

Beal’s biggest quality, though, is that he has range on his jumper, and the Cavs need shooting.

5. Portland Trail Blazers (via New Jersey Nets): Andre Drummond, Connecticut

With the pick the Blazers acquired from the Nets in the Gerald Wallace trade, Portland can nab that big man they desperately need.

Drummond has all the skills and enormous upside. While he may take some time to develop, Drummond has an NBA body and a good feel for the game. While Drummond’s numbers weren’t great during his freshman season at UConn, he shot 54 percent from the floor and blocked 2.9 shots per game.

6. Sacramento Kings: Jared Sullinger, Ohio State

This is likely way too high for Sullinger, but the Kings have a need to land a big man to play next to DeMarcus Cousins and could opt for his advanced post game.

Sullinger should be able to score and rebound in the NBA after a season in which he averaged 17.6 PPG and 9.3 RPG in leading the Buckeyes to the Final Four, but the Kings have major issues defensively, allowing an NBA-high 104.4 PPG, and I’m not sure Sullinger helps much in that department.

His athleticism has been drawn into question, and matching up against more athletic and longer NBA players on a nightly basis could become a big issue.

7. Toronto Raptors: Harrison Barnes, North Carolina

Barnes has the talent to become a No.1 scoring option (17.7 PPG), and Toronto desperately needs a player with that skill set.

If there was a need pick for any team, this is the one as the Raptors get very little production from their small forwards, as Linas Kleiza, James Johnson and Alan Anderson have combined to average only 28.4 PPG on the season.

8. Utah Jazz (via Golden State Warriors): Damian Lillard, Weber State

By making the playoffs, Utah now has only one pick in the first round, and they must land a point guard to eventually replace the struggling Devin Harris.

Lillard is the top guard on the board and not only can run an offense, but he’s a volume scorer, averaging 24.5 PPG on the season.

9. Detroit Pistons: Arnett Moultrie, Mississippi State

The Pistons can go with Moultrie or John Henson here, but one thing is certain and that’s the fact that Detroit must get more athletic.

Pairing a guy like Moultrie with Greg Monroe could give the Pistons a potentially dominant frontcourt for years. He’s a monster on the glass (10.6 RPG) and can score from the inside or outside, shooting 55 percent from the floor and 44 percent from behind the arc.

10. New Orleans Hornets (via Minnesota Timberwolves):  Kendall Marshall, North Carolina

Getting Marshall and Robinson in the same draft is a big win for the Hornets.

In Marshall, they get the best floor general in the draft and a guy with great court vision (9.8 PPG) and excellent decision making skills, posting a 3.48 assist-to-turnover ratio.

11. Portland Trail Blazers: Austin Rivers, Duke

After landing a big man in Drummond, the Blazers can add the scoring they need from the backcourt in Rivers.

He has to improve some areas in his game, but there’s no doubting that Rivers has the talent to become a natural scorer in the NBA after averaging 15.5 PPG during his lone season at Duke.

12. Milwaukee Bucks: Perry Jones III, Baylor

The Bucks could look big here, but they also need a potentially dominant wing player, and Jones has all the skills in the world to be great.

His skill set says he can do anything on the floor, but his numbers at Baylor weren’t great, averaging only 13.5 PPG and 7.6 RPG. If he brings out his talent consistently, Jones can be a star. That’s still a big if, but the Bucks need to roll the dice on his potential.

13. Phoenix Suns: Terrence Jones, Kentucky

Perry Jones could have been a good fit for the Suns, but with him off the board, they can take a look at the 6’9” Terrence Jones.

He has the strength to rebound (7.2 RPG) and score (12.5 PPG) in traffic effectively.  Jones can score effectively at any level, shooting 50 percent from the floor on the season, even showing the ability to take his game out beyond the arc, knocking down 33 percent of his long-distance attempts.

14. Houston Rockets: Jeremy Lamb, Connecticut

Houston looks bigger picture here with Kevin Martin entering the final season of his contract.

They need backcourt depth, and Lamb has the talent to go much higher in the draft. He’s got the potential to be a top scoring option after averaging 17.7 PPG and can attack the basket as well as dominate from the mid-range.

15. Philadelphia 76ers: John Henson, North Carolina

Henson is a gift to the Sixers at No. 15 as he helps sure up their interior defense. He’s a freakish athlete who can rebound (10.1 RPG) and block shots (2.9 BPG) at the NBA level.

With a guy like Henson, the Sixers can be even more aggressive on defense as he can cover the court and make up for teammates' mistakes.

16. Dallas Mavericks: Tyler Zeller, North Carolina

The Mavs need to get younger and more athletic, especially up front, and Zeller has the fundamentals to be a very nice NBA player.

He won’t be a star but he could become a major part of an NBA rotation in the future.

17. Minnesota Timberwolves: Terrence Ross, Washington

Utah making the playoffs is good news for the Timberwolves, who get to draft in the first round because of it.

Minnesota needs to target a shooting guard, and Ross is a very good fit here. He’s got good size for the position at 6’6” and has range on his jumper, shooting over 37 percent from behind the arc.

18. Houston Rockets (via New York Knicks):  Meyers Leonard, Illinois

Leonard grabbed 8.2 RPG and blocked 1.9 shots a night, while averaging 13.6 PPG and shooting .584 from the floor. He’s got talent and upside, and once he adds some more muscle and adapts to the NBA game, the Rockets could end up with a steal.

He won’t be a star right away, but Houston has a need for a big guy, and Leonard could eventually fill a big need for the Rockets.

19. Orlando Magic: Marquis Teague, Kentucky

Orlando could opt for a big man here, but if they trade Dwight Howard, they will almost certainly target one in a potential deal.

Instead they could opt for their point guard of the future in Teague.  He has some developing to do, but he’s got a good feel for the game and is lightning quick.

20. Denver Nuggets:  Dion Waiters, Syracuse

Waiters is a scorer who averaged 12.1 PPG in only 24 minutes of playing time on a very deep Syracuse team.

He shot 48 percent from the floor and 36 percent from behind the arc, which suggests he’s comfortable from anywhere on the floor. Right off the bat he’s a depth piece who will fit into Denver’s up-tempo attack very well.

21. Boston Celtics: Andrew Nicholson, St. Bonaventure

Boston needs a young big body for the future, and eventually Nicholson could turn out to be the steal of the draft.

He’s a guy that can do it all, averaging 18.5 PPG, 8.5 RPG and 2.0 BPG on the season, while shooting 57 percent from the floor and 44 percent from three-point range. Nicholson has great all-around skills and a bright future ahead of him.

22. Atlanta Hawks: Doron Lamb, Kentucky

Lamb fills a need in Atlanta as a natural scorer who can contribute immediately. He can be a lethal scorer when he’s going well, connecting on 47 percent of his shots from long range while averaging 13.7 PPG for the national champs.

23. Boston Celtics (via Los Angeles Clippers): Royce White, Iowa State

The Celtics could use a shooting guard here, but they have a ton of cash to play with during the offseason and could fill that need then.

White could turn into the eventual replacement for Paul Pierce. He’s got the size of a small forward at 6’9” and the speed and vision of a guard, even averaging 5.1 APG on the season, which ranked him fifth in the Big 12 Conference.

24. Cleveland Cavaliers (via Los Angeles Lakers): Jeffery Taylor, Vanderbilt

Cleveland gets even more athletic with their second pick of the round by taking Taylor.

He’s got the ability to be a great perimeter defender, but Taylor also has developed a complete offensive game, averaging 16.1 PPG, made possible by developing a perimeter shot where he shot 42 percent from behind the arc.

25. Memphis Grizzlies: Tony Wroten, Washington

Wroten is a gifted scorer who averaged 16.7 PPG as a freshman and down the road could turn himself into the best guard in the draft, but he’s going to need some time to develop. Memphis is in a good enough spot where they can afford to be patient with him. The talent is definitely there.

26. Indiana Pacers: Moe Harkless, St. Johns

In any other draft, a guy with the talent of Harkless would certainly be a lottery pick. Indiana could end up with a steal here as Harkless is long and a good rebounder (8.6 RPG) and defender with a solid offensive game (15.3 PPG) as well.

27. Miami Heat: Festus Ezeli, Vanderbilt

Miami needs a productive big body, and Ezeli looks like a nice fit for them. He can rebound and block shots off the bat, averaging 2.0 BPG on the season, but while his offensive game is raw, there’s some definite talent there.

Ezeli shot 60 percent from the floor on the season and has a weapon in a baby hook shot that he can make with each hand.

28. Oklahoma City Thunder: Draymond Green, Michigan State

The Thunder could use some depth at both the 3 and the 4, and a guy like Green can come and potentially give Oklahoma City another weapon.

He’s more of a 3 in the NBA, but while Green does nothing exceptionally great, he does almost everything very well, and he’s a guy that finds a way to produce. He may not average 16.1 PPG and 10.4 RPG like he did this season at Michigan State, but he will be productive nonetheless.

29. Golden State Warriors (via San Antonio Spurs): Kris Joseph, Syracuse

Joseph is active at both ends of the floor and can fill a need in Golden State as the Warriors need a productive small forward.

He averaged near 14.0 PPG during the course of the past two season and is the type of player that Warriors coach Mark Jackson will love

30. Chicago Bulls: John Jenkins, Vanderbilt

You can never have too much shooting, and with the last pick of the first round, Chicago can add possibly the best shooter in the college game.

Jenkins has unlimited range and a smooth stroke, shooting 44 percent from behind the arc on the season, while averaging 19.9 PPG on the season. Down the road he could be the eventual replacement for Richard Hamilton as the Bulls’ shooting guard.