2012 NBA Draft Order: Teams Who Should Target International Prospects in Round 2
The drafting of international prospects can be a highly successful component to building a winner. In the 2012 NBA draft there are a few teams who are in prime position to employ the draft-and-stash strategy that could pay major dividends down the road.
The chance to take a prospect and let them develop their skills for a few years with another team have helped teams like the Minnesota Timberwolves (with Ricky Rubio) and the San Antonio Spurs (most recently with Thiago Splitter) become much better.
Before we take a look at a few teams that should target international prospects in the second round, here's how the draft order currently looks:
Pre-Lottery NBA Draft Order
1. Charlotte Bobcats
2. Washington Wizards
3. Cleveland Cavaliers
4. New Orleans Hornets
5. Sacramento Kings
6. Portland Trail Blazers (via Brooklyn Nets)
7. Golden State Warriors
8. Toronto Raptors
9. Detroit Pistons
10. New Orleans Hornets (via Minnesota Timberwolves)
11. Portland Trail Blazers
12. Milwaukee Bucks
13. Phoenix Suns
14. Houston Rockets
15. Philadelphia 76ers
16. Houston Rockets (via New York Knicks)
17. Dallas Mavericks
18. Minnesota Timberwolves (via Utah Jazz)
19. Orlando Magic
20. Denver Nuggets
21. Boston Celtics
22. Boston Celtics (via Oklahoma City Thunder)
23. Atlanta Hawks
24. Cleveland Cavaliers (via Los Angeles Lakers)
25. Memphis Grizzlies
26. Indiana Pacers
27. Miami Heat
28. Oklahoma City Thunder
29. Chicago Bulls
30. Golden State (via San Antonio Spurs)
Second Round
31. Charlotte
32. Washington
33. Cleveland Cavaliers (via Miami Heat)
34. Cleveland Cavaliers
35. Sacramento Kings
36. Golden State Warriors (via Brooklyn Nets)
37. Denver Nuggets (via New York Knicks)
38. Toronto Raptors
39. Detroit Pistons
40. Portland Trail Blazers (via Houston Rockets)
41. Portland Trail Blazers
42. Milwaukee Bucks
43. Atlanta Hawks (via Phoenix Suns)
44. Detroit Pistons (via Houston)
45. Philadelphia 76ers
46. Washington Wizards (via Dallas Mavericks)
47. Utah Jazz
48. New York Knicks
49. Orlando Magic
50. Denver Nuggets
51. Boston Celtics
52. Golden State Warriors (via Atlanta Hawks)
53. LA Clippers
54. Philadelphia 76ers (via Memphis Grizzlies)
55. Dallas Mavericks (via LA Lakers)
56. Toronto Raptors (via Indiana Pacers)
57. Brooklyn Nets (via Miami Heat)
58. Minnesota Timberwolves (via Oklahoma City Thunder)
59. San Antonio Spurs
60. LA Lakers (via Brooklyn Nets)
Here are a few teams that should be looking overseas in the second round:
Cleveland Cavaliers
The Cavs could be the first team to take an international player in the second round as they find themselves in a great position to do so. With two top-five picks in the 2011 draft the Cavs were able to pick up two young players to build around in Kyrie Irving and Tristan Thompson.
With the Cavs likely to add another solid piece with an early lottery selection in 2012, the Cavs will have a great young nucleus for years to come—and that's before considering the fact they hold back-to-back picks in the second round.
With plenty of this year's international crop most likely on the board, the Cavs would be wise to spend one of those picks on a player they can bring onto the roster in a few years. A team can only develop so many young players at a time while staying competitive and given the development of Irving, there's no reason the Cavs shouldn't try to be as competitive as possible.
By drafting a prospect that can remain overseas and develop, the Cavs will have yet another young weapon as their core begins to mature into a contender. When you have three picks in back-to-back drafts, you can afford to take a risk, and that's exactly what Cleveland should do.
Golden State Warriors
Golden State owns the most draft picks in the 2012 NBA draft with four—two in each round. The Warriors appear to be in full-on rebuilding mode with the Monta Ellis trade last season and there's no doubt they'll be looking to add two players that can help right away with picks No. 7 and 30 in the first round.
However, if the Warriors elect to keep all four of the picks and don't trade them, then they may want to go the international route with at least one of their second-rounders. The team will have a difficult time competing in the rugged Western Conference in the next few years regardless of who they pick and there aren't many prospects that will be readily available to make a difference early in their careers anyway.
Selecting a player that can be brought from overseas in a few years would be the smart play in the second round for the Warriors. Bringing four rookies onto the roster won't make them better right away and they likely won't get many minutes to develop.
Portland Trail Blazers
The Portland Trail Blazers also have four picks in the draft and are in an almost identical situation as the Warriors. A team that struggled to find an identity and will look to add pieces that can help right away in the first round.
The Trail Blazers have had success drafting international before—Nicolas Batum is one of the few exciting players on the roster. So they may not hesitate to pull the trigger if the right opportunity presents itself with either of their back-to-back second-round selections.
The Blazers also have plenty of youth throughout the roster so the idea of having a European team develop a prospect for them may be appealing as the Blazers have plenty of project players of their own to develop.
