NBA Draft Lottery 2012: Teams in Most Dire Need of the First Pick
The NBA Draft Lottery is set for Wednesday, May 30 and the future for several teams will come into focus after the draw is done.
Whichever team lands the No. 1 pick will have Kentucky power forward Anthony Davis donning its jersey for the 2012-13 season.
Davis is an exciting prospect and the NBA’s bottom-dwellers badly need a player like him.
Here are the four teams that need his talents the most, along with their record last season and their chance at receiving the top pick.
Charlotte Bobcats (7-59), 25 percent chance
The Bobcats finished the 2011-12 season with the lowest winning percentage in NBA history, so they obviously need the most help.
With very little talent, chemistry or frontcourt depth, the Bobcats are weak in nearly every area.
Davis is a rare prospect who can impact a game is many different ways. He proved this in the National Championship game against Kansas when he filled up the stat sheet with six points, 16 rebounds, five assists, six blocks and three steals.
Davis is going to be a fearsome defensive presence immediately upon arrival. He can team up with last year’s first-round pick Bismack Biyombo to give the Bobcats length and athleticism down low. With that tandem protecting the rim, the Bobcats may not be the worst team in the NBA next season.
Cleveland Cavaliers (21-45), 13.8 percent chance
The Cavaliers are still reeling from LeBron James taking his talents to South Beach, but the arrival of Kyrie Irving has helped heal some wounds.
No sports fan can say the city of Cleveland does not deserve a little bit of luck, and that is all it would take for the Cavs to land two consecutive No. 1 picks.
With a core of Irving and Davis, Cleveland would have the first two pieces to start a dynasty. These two players are perfect complements to each other and would be nearly unstoppable in a pick-and-roll situation.
It’s been 46 years since Cleveland has had a championship from one of its professional sports franchises. These tortured fans deserve Davis as much as anyone.
New Orleans Hornets (21-45), 13.7 percent chance
The Hornets have a new owner now that Tom Benson bought the team, and now they need some new players.
Trading Chris Paul to the Los Angeles Clippers did not work out too well. Eric Gordon, the best player the Hornets received in the deal, spent most of the season injured and they finished with the worst record in the Western Conference.
Gordon is a free agent this summer, and getting the No. 1 pick would be a huge help to the team in their quest to re-sign him.
Going forward, Gordon and Davis would be an excellent scoring duo and would help New Orleans return to the postseason in the next few years.
Sacramento Kings (22-44), 7.6 percent chance
The Kings’ future in Sacramento is still very much in limbo according to the New York Times, and a winning season could do wonders for the future of the franchise.
The Kings have a few nice pieces in Tyreke Evans and DeMarcus Cousins, but Davis could take the young team to another level.
With an all-Kentucky frontcourt pair of Davis and Cousins, few teams in the NBA would have a chance to out-rebound the Kings.
The Kings would have a shot to sneak into the playoffs as early as next year if Davis has the impact many suspect he will. If this happens, the city of Sacramento will be forever in debt to John Calipari, who recruited and coached all three players.
