NBA Draft Lottery 2012: Long Shots That Desperately Need No. 1 Pick
Fourteen NBA teams have a chance for the NBA draft's No. 1 selection in Wednesday's lottery drawing. Three teams facing long-shot odds desperately need this year's consensus top player, Anthony Davis.
Davis will provide one team with a lanky power forward with Bill Russell-like defensive instincts and tremendous upside. He will not be a superstar unless he matures physically, but his potential alone makes him a no-brainer No. 1 selection.
Let's take a look at the percent chance of each team winning the No. 1 pick, and which long shots desperately need Davis' services.
*Lottery chances courtesy of ESPN.com (insider required)
| Team | Chance at No.1 (%) |
| Charlotte Bobcats | 25 |
| Washington Wizards | 19.9 |
| Cleveland Cavaliers | 13.8 |
| New Orleans Hornets | 13.7 |
| Sacramento Kings | 7.6 |
| Brooklyn Nets | 7.5 |
| Golden State Warriors | 3.6 |
| Toronto Raptors | 3.5 |
| Detroit Pistons | 1.9 |
| New Orleans Hornets | 1.1 |
| Portland Trail Blazers | 0.8 |
| Milwaukee Bucks | 0.7 |
| Phoenix Suns | 0.6 |
| Houston Rockets | 0.5 |
Now, for the long shots crossing their fingers.
Houston Rockets
Kyle Lowry is currently asking for a trade, but maybe landing Davis would keep the steady Rocket point guard in Houston.
The Rockets' frontcourt is made up of a mediocre Samuel Dalembert, Luis Scola and a gluttony of young developing forwards.
Davis has more upside than any forward on the Rockets' current roster. He is taller than Marcus Morris, better defensively than Chandler Parsons and has a higher ceiling than fellow Kentucky alum Patrick Patterson.
Houston's franchise could use a shot in the arm. Davis would bring excitement to their team, give Keivin McHale a stud to pair with Lowry and possibly provide Lowry incentive to stick around.
Sadly, Houston has the smallest chance out of all lottery teams to win the No. 1 selection. It doesn't hurt to hope, though.
Phoenix Suns
Without Steven Nash, the Suns would probably be the worst team in basketball. Nash's pending departure begs the Suns to grab their point guard of the future, and they will if they wind up with the No. 13 or 14 pick in the draft.
But if Phoenix wins the lottery, Davis would fit perfectly.
The Suns will need a new face for their franchise. Current forwards Marcin Gortat and Channing Frye will never provide that presence.
Phoenix fans are prepared to watch their team spiral rapidly out of control without Nash running the show. Davis would not reverse that immediately, or completely, but he would be a huge step in the right direction.
The Suns are in a bad spot to land this year's No. 1 selection, but they would love luck to be on their side in this situation.
Detroit Pistons
The Pistons have two solid pieces in place already. Brandon Knight and Greg Monroe are very capable players who desperately need a little more help to contend in the Eastern Conference playoff picture.
Jonas Jerebko and Vernon Macklin are not going to sufficiently complement Monroe. Davis would provide a perfect counterpoint to Monroe's skill set.
Monroe's well-rounded game and dynamic passing ability would fit well with Davis' defensive prowess, rebounding ability and versatile offensive repertoire.
The Pistons are not a huge long shot. Five teams have a worse chance. However, they still have a huge hill to climb.
Detroit could rise quickly with a smart offseason and the addition of Davis through the draft. Power forward is the deepest position in this year's draft, but Davis is considered the unquestioned top prospect for his position and overall.
The Pistons would be ecstatic to have Davis and Monroe in tandem, down low, for the coming years, especially with Knight dishing the rock.
