2012 NBA Mock Draft: Projecting Top 30 Picks, Post-Regular-Season Edition

There's still a lot of time to go with the NBA playoffs before we get excited for the NBA draft, but that doesn't mean we can't get into the swing of talking about it a bit more.

Hell, Todd McShay and Mel Kiper Jr. talk about the NFL draft for eight months out of the year, so why can't we get a little more heated with our NBA draft talk, eh?

This is going to be one of the more interesting drafts in recent memory, as there are guys who could end up going outside of the lottery but still completely transform franchises.

The top pick is obvious. If the team that ends up nabbing the No. 1 pick passes on Anthony Davis, I'm going to completely give up on trying to predict what these insane general managers will do come draft day.

So, without further ado, let's go ahead and pump out a mock draft, shall we? 

1. Charlotte Bobcats: Anthony Davis, Kentucky

Quite frankly, this pick is a no-brainer. With the lack of talented big men in the league and the unanimous opinion that Anthony Davis is going to be good at the next level, any team picking No. 1 overall is going to take him.

However, should the Bobcats win the draft lottery, Michael Jordan will be at the helm along with his horrific past in the draft lottery. There's always a chance he goes crazy and takes someone like Andre Drummond No. 1 overall.

2. Washington Wizards: Michael Kidd-Gilchrist, Kentucky

Nobody helped his draft stock more in the NCAA tournament than Michael Kidd-Gilchrist. Kidd-Gilchrist put his heart and soul into every game he played, and he was the second-best player on the best team in the country.

Kidd-Gilchrist has drawn comparisons to Scottie Pippen since the end of the tournament. After seeing his insane work ethic along with his ability to both score and defend, I've got to say I'm convinced he could get up to that level if everything were to go right in his career.

3. Cleveland Cavaliers: Andre Drummond, UConn

If the Cavs were to get this No. 3 pick as they're lined up to right now, it's going to be one confusing pick.

They can't take Thomas Robinson here; it would be the second year in a row that they've used a top-five pick on a young power forward. 

Harrison Barnes hurt his draft stock too much in the tournament and Bradley Beal seems like too much of a reach with Drummond still on the board.

However, you have to imagine that a team looking to make all the right steps in a rebuilding phase would be leery of taking a guy with as much risk involved as Drummond. At the same time, there's too much potential there to pass up.

4. New Orleans Hornets: Thomas Robinson, Kansas

The New Orleans Hornets have one thing on their mind in this draft, and that is to get the best player possible to team with Eric Gordon—for whom they'll do anything to keep as a restricted free agent this offseason.

The best player left on the board at this point is Thomas Robinson, without a doubt. Robinson has the best motor in the draft and at the very worst he's going to turn into a defensive stalwart and rebounding machine.

5. Sacramento Kings: Harrison Barnes, North Carolina

The Sacramento Kings have one of the strangest lineups in the NBA right now, and throwing Harrison Barnes into it would at least give it some kind of direction.

The only problem at this point with drafting Barnes is that Sacramento would have yet another player who is best on offense with the ball in his hands and would want to shoot the ball 15 to 20 times a game—you know, just like Tyreke Evans, DeMarcus Cousins and Marcus Thornton.

Still, Barnes has All-Star potential and it's hard to pass on a guy like that.

6. Portland Trail Blazers Via New Jersey Nets: Bradley Beal, Florida

After Brandon Roy's retirement before the start of this season, the Portland Trail Blazers have been looking for someone—anyone—to fill that role.

LaMarcus Aldridge has been great, but there's only so much a big man can do in the flow of an offense, and he does quite a bit. Meanwhile, Wes Matthews and Nicolas Batum are good, but they aren't great.

Bradley Beal could come in and develop into quite the young player. He's possibly an All-Star-caliber talent, and that's the best Portland could ask for.

7. Golden State Warriors (Pick Could Still Go to Utah): Jeremy Lamb, UConn

I'm not sure if it's good to be the best player on the most disappointing team in college basketball this year, but that's what Jeremy Lamb is.

Lamb is great with the ball in his hands, he has a sexy jump shot and he can play some defense when he gives a damn. He'll probably end up being a better option at shooting guard than Klay Thompson, and at the very least they have a nice young guard to compete with Thompson for that spot.

8. Toronto Raptors: Kendall Marshall, North Carolina

The Toronto Raptors are in desperate need of some sort of direction in their offensive game. With Jose Calderon as their starting point guard they are a team with a bunch of weapons; with a guard with a head on his shoulders in the lineup, they are a cohesive unit.

Kendall Marshall, while possibly a bit of a stretch this high, is possibly one of the three smartest guys in the draft. He could come in and learn to run an offense in the course of a year or so.

9. Detroit Pistons: Perry Jones, Baylor

The Detroit Pistons are in serious need of a spark, and it's not every day that there's a chance to get a spark this late in the draft. Perry Jones, if he is able to get his act together and develop a motor, could very well turn into a great player.

However, the Pistons have to realize they're getting the negatives with the positives here. But you know what? No team has as much of a reason to take a risk quite as much as Detroit. The Pistons need either a player to get them back into the playoffs or a whiff so bad that they finally bottom out.

10. New Orleans Hornets Via Minnesota: Tyler Zeller, North Carolina

The New Orleans Hornets are looking for a relatively quick turnaround, and what better way to get good in this game than to get tall?

Taking Thomas Robinson with their first pick and then Tyler Zeller with their second pick is going to give them a great chance at transforming the team.

Robinson, Zeller and then Eric Gordon coming back would make for a good trio moving forward.

11. Portland Trail Blazers: Terrence Jones, Kentucky

What's going to make Terrence Jones' draft stock skyrocket over the next two months, besides his great performance in the NCAA tournament, are his ridiculous measurements.

Jones has the wingspan of a center, huge hands and incredible hops. That alone is going to make most of the teams late in the lottery want to take a stab at him.

12. Milwaukee Bucks: Jared Sullinger, Ohio State

The Milwaukee Bucks are moving forward with a new dynamic duo of Monta Ellis and Brandon Jennings. Unfortunately, in order to grab Ellis, they had to give up a bit of height.

It seems inevitable that they go after a big man in this slot, and Sullinger makes the most sense. He's not quite big enough to play center like Meyers Leonard would be, but he's a smarter, more potential-laden player than Leonard.

13. Phoenix Suns: Austin Rivers, Duke

Austin Rivers is going to be a lottery pick; that seems to be inevitable at this point. All that remains is to see how far along he goes before somebody grabs him.

At this point, Phoenix seems like a good place for Rivers. It's a place for him to come in and grow under the tutelage of some veterans. Also, he won't be pressured to perform right away, which is probably best for Rivers.

14. Houston Rockets: Arnett Moultrie, Mississippi State

Arnett Moultrie is one of the three most interesting players in the draft at this point. With all the publicity that he's gotten from the blogosphere over the past month or so, I think he'll end up being a mid-round pick.

Moultrie has grown into his body over the past year and is looking like he's going to be a very good all-around player at the next level. He's got the body and the skills; the only question at this point is whether he transitions well to the NBA.

15. Philadelphia 76ers: Terrence Ross, Washington

Philadelphia has some solid big men and two great point guards, but depth at the 2 and 3 isn't its biggest strength.

Terrence Ross brings size that would allow him to play at either spot and bring some good play to either side of the ball. He could be a starter down the line, but he'll prove to be a good bench player for a few years to start.

16. Houston Rockets Via New York Knicks: Meyers Leonard, Illinois

After Anthony Davis and Tyler Zeller, the rest of the true centers in this draft are going to be a risk. The best shot at center at this point in the draft is going to be Meyers Leonard from Illinois.

This is the perfect draft for Houston to restock on big men after shipping out Jordan Hill and Hasheem Thabeet at the trade deadline.

17. Dallas Mavericks: Damian Lillard, Weber St.

Damian Lillard could end up being the steal of the draft from a mid-major school, much like Norris Cole was for the Miami Heat last season.

Lillard, a point guard from Weber State, is a great shooter at the very least. Given good health and some improvement in his decision-making skills and game control, he could be a good point guard in the NBA.

18. Minnesota Timberwolves Via Utah: Dion Waiters, Syracuse

Dion Waiters was a huge reason why the Orange were able to survive in the tournament as long as they did without Fab Melo.

Waiters is a good defender and shooter. He could develop into a solid player in the NBA at some point, and he certainly could be better than the likes of Wayne Ellington and Martell Webster.

19. Orlando Magic: John Henson, North Carolina

The Orlando Magic need someone—anyone—who would help to make their team a top-four team in the Eastern Conference yet again. A tough guy like John Henson could help them off the bench next season.

Henson would add height to this team—something they would probably appreciate—and he's going to be pretty good on either side of the floor.

20. Denver Nuggets: Doron Lamb, Kentucky

Doron Lamb is a guy who would fit in well with the smooth-flowing, molding and morphing offense of the Denver Nuggets, although he won't end up adding much on the defensive end.

Lamb could be a pretty good spot-up shooter in the NBA, but he also has the ability to create some shots for himself. So you're not drafting a guy that's going to be completely dependent on others.

21. Boston Celtics: Tony Wroten, Washington

Another interesting guy from the Pac-12's Washington is Tony Wroten, a guard with amazing size and great potential. The question remains as to which position he can play.

At 6'5", Wroten is quick for a man his size, so he could probably guard point guards in the NBA. Plus, he's an amazing passer, so he would probably be able to hold his own on offense as a point guard or a shooting guard.

He's not so much a project player as he is a guy who you throw out there and see what happens.

22. Boston Celtics Via Los Angeles Clippers: Quincy Miller, Vanderbilt

With the Celtics picking back-to-back here, we could see them go home with a new tandem of players to replace some of their older guys—or at least have a shot to.

After Wroten at No. 21 to plug into either guard spot, Quincy Miller is another one of those guys at the NCAA level who led a team but seems to be a bit of a risk to have the same role in the pros. Still, Miller looks like he could develop into something more in the NBA.

Miller, at the very least, has great size for a small forward. His 6'9" frame is as skinny as a rail, but he's just a freshman so he's got time to fill it out. What really makes him attractive is his athleticism and the immense amount of room he still has to grow.

23. Atlanta Hawks: Moe Harkless, St. John's

Moe Harkless is a guy who is getting quite a bit of love around the Internet these days. With a name like Moe Harkless, who can blame us?

Harkless has great size for a small forward and his speed is way above average for a guy his size. Combine that with his toughness, and you've got yourself a guy who could come off the bench for most teams next season and make an impact on defense.

24. Cleveland Cavaliers Via Los Angeles Lakers: Evan Fournier, France

The Cleveland Cavaliers traded for this additional first-round pick in order to pick up a guy who is going to make a big impact for their team. Odds are they won't pick up Fab Melo or John Jenkins, who will both have a specialized role in the NBA. Instead, they're probably going to go after a high-risk, high-reward player.

This late in the draft, the guy who everyone is looking at to either be an immense flop or the next big international player is Evan Fournier, a sort of Tony Parker-Manu Ginobili hybrid.

25. Memphis Grizzlies: Marquis Teague, Kentucky

By this time in the draft, every team in the NBA will have a guy from Kentucky on their roster—or it's going to seem that way, at least.

Marquis Teague is going to come into the league with an average jumper and mediocre defense, but he's got a bunch of potential in that 6'2" frame.

Teague has all of the qualities that scouts like in a basketball player without actually being a great basketball player, but someday, he could be.

26. Indiana Pacers: John Jenkins, Vanderbilt

The Indiana Pacers seem to be lacking that one thing that most really good NBA teams have. The Bulls have Kyle Korver, the Heat have Mike Miller, the Spurs have Danny Green and the Thunder have a committee of players who act as spot-up three-point shooters.

As the best three-point shooter in the draft, and possibly the best long-range guy in the NCAA last season, Jenkins could come in and fill that role right away. 

27. Miami Heat: Fab Melo, Syracuse

Has this not been the most overplayed story of the past two seasons? The Miami Heat don't have any good centers, and they need height.

Fab Melo is tall and he could be a decent defender with a jumper at some point in the next few years. It just makes too much sense.

28. Oklahoma City Thunder: Festus Ezeli, Vanderbilt

Oklahoma City is another team that could be looking to add some big-man depth late in the draft, and one of the guys who has burst onto the scene in the past month is Vanderbilt's Festus Ezeli.

Besides the cool name, Ezeli is a good shot-blocker and can finish at the rim. At the very least, he's got a shot to be better than Nick Collison or Cole Aldrich.

29. Chicago Bulls: Jeffery Taylor, Vanderbilt

I've seen a lot of talk about Draymond Green from Michigan State going to Chicago at this spot. It seems that if Jeffery Taylor from Vanderbilt is available, he is a better choice as a small forward who is going to at least bring stout defense to the table.

As a senior coming from Vanderbilt with great size and athleticism, Taylor could be one of those wing defenders for whom every team seems to be looking these days. All that remains is whether or not he can play on the other side of the ball.

30. Golden State Warriors Via San Antonio: Royce White, Iowa State

The Warriors are going to need a lot of help moving forward, and should go with a high-risk player late in the draft.

Royce White is a borderline big man who passes and handles the ball like a guard, which could be very interesting depending on the position he's able to play in the NBA. As a small forward, he would probably be able to overpower opponents and go through them; as a power forward, he'll likely be quicker and able to blow by them.

This is definitely going to be an interesting guy to keep an eye on.

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