NBA Draft Lottery 2012: Team Needs and Best Players for Each Lotto Pick

These NBA teams have needs that only the right ping pong ball can satisfy.

Sure, a lot of improvement can be made through free agency. However, the draft occurs a few days sooner, so most general managers plan their offseason acquisitions based on the youth they first select.

These franchises obviously have a lot to fix; they did miss the playoffs, after all.

Everything seems to always hinge on who gets which pick. That's good TV and all, but the needs won't change no matter the draft order.

Here are the positions of concern each lottery team must address, along with a few pick suggestions.

NOTES: Teams are listed according to odds of landing the first pick in the lottery. Thanks to Drafttek.com (where I am a consultant) for providing draft materials.

New Orleans Hornets

You'd never really know it by their Western Conference cellar finish last year, but there are some really intriguing young players on the New Orleans Hornets.

Even if Eric Gordon leaves, Al Farouq-Aminu, Xavier Henry, Gustavo Ayon and Greivis Vasquez are all recent draft picks with some real upside.

Veterans like Jarrett Jack, Emeka Okafor, Trevor Ariza and Jason Smith give the team some movable pieces to shift around in and after this draft.

Either guard spot or small forward are the most obvious targets, but with two lottery picks this year, the Hornets really just need to take the best two players available.

The best player available is obviously Anthony Davis. They'll build the roster around him.

The 10th pick could be used on a scoring swingman like Harrison Barnes if he's still there. Otherwise, it's time to look at guards like Damien Lillard, Austin Rivers or Kendall Marshall.

Charlotte Bobcats

Obviously, all Charlotte Bobcat hopes rested on the No. 1 pick and reeling in Kentucky's "sure-thing" big man Anthony Davis. 

For a team that couldn't even average 87 points per game, the Bobcats not only need offense, they need shot creators and makers. With a .106 winning percentage, it wouldn't be hyperbole to claim that any and every position should be upgraded.

With recent draft picks Kemba Walker and Gerald Henderson providing some semblance of a backcourt (regardless of whether D.J. Augustin is let go), Charlotte needs the most help up front.

Landing Davis would have formed an NBA-ready frontcourt rotation with Bismack Biyombo, B.J. Mullens and Tyrus Thomas.

Yet the biggest roster hole might be at small forward, where the corpses of Corey Maggette and Reggie Williams still lie.

Without Davis, they'll have to wipe their tears with North Carolina's Harrison Barnes or Kentucky's Michael Kidd-Gilchrist.

Washington Wizards

As bad as their 20-46 record was last year, the Washington Wizards have a core beginning to form.

They're not going to draft a point guard or a center as long as John Wall and Nene remain on the roster. It's highly unlikely that the Wiz burn their pick on a power forward to replace Andray Blatche just yet.

The small forward spot still has Rashard Lewis' immovable contract and decent upside youngsters with Kevin Seraphin and Chris Singleton. It wouldn't make sense to further clog that logjam.

So?

That leaves shooting guard as the obvious area of need. Jordan Crawford has been passable the last few seasons when filling in for Nick Young's immaturity, injury and departure, but he's better suited as a bench combo guard.

A guy who could stretch the floor would be nice, but a player with true two-way skills would be even better.

Michael Kidd-Gilchrist or Florida's Bradley Beal make a lot of sense.

Cleveland Cavaliers

Kyrie Irving is the real deal, and Anderson Varejao is a very solid role player.

The rest of the roster? No one really knows.

Tristan Thompson and Samardo Samuels have safe jobs up front for now, but what this team really needs is another injection of true star power on the wings. 

Irving needs a running mate who can finish, take some of the opponent's focus on a nightly basis and not be a defensive liability. This draft offers enough intriguing swingmen who COULD fit the bill. 

Taking Michael Kidd-Gilchrist, Harrison Barnes or even Kentucky's Terrence Jones would draft for need AND select the best player available.

Sacramento Kings

The Sacramento Kings' strategy is relatively easy: find someone who can make DeMarcus Cousins even better.

Tyreke Evans is a nice name at this point, but like the rest of this roster, he's both talented and completely touchable for the right price. Cousins has played at both the 4 and 5 spots, so the Kings could pick a pairing for him at either spot.

With Evans, Marcus Thornton, Jimmer Fredette and John Salmons all spending time at the 2, the Kings will probably bypass the shooting guard spot for good reason. 

Selecting a true point guard would be a decent move, but there aren't many enticing options this high in the draft. Unless they trade down or really get jobbed by the ping pong balls, it makes sense to select a defensive big man or scoring small forward.

Connecticut's Andre Drummond sounds good to me.

Portland Trail Blazers

After completely detonating the roster last year, it's time to pick up the pieces in Portland.

The wing positions could be stable if Nic Batum is staying with Wes Matthews, but point guard could be especially crucial if the disappointing Raymond Felton departs. The team also desperately needs a center.

Similar to the Sacramento Kings, the Portland Trail Blazers need to take whoever is the best player available AND who can help LaMarcus Aldridge in a tangible way.

Like the New Orleans Hornets, the Blazers have two lottery picks, thereby allowing them to mix and match for need.

The point guards are big reaches at the lottery level. Thus, big men like Baylor's Perry Jones or Meyers Leonard of Illinois, along with Connecticut shooter Jeremy Lamb, could be decent finds.

Golden State Warriors

What a mess.

This Golden State Warriors team was tanking so badly that they traded for an injured Andrew Bogut, started five rookies down the final stretch and are trying to swing a weird trade just to make sure it was all worth it.

David Lee and Andrew Bogut aren't going anywhere, even if the Warriors want them to. Steph Curry is rightly untouchable at this point.

The team has a lot of passable wing options with Dorell Wright, Klay Thompson, Richard Jefferson and Brandon Rush (if he returns), yet this whole core has yet to finish above .500 together.

This team needs some length, toughness and athleticism at the forward spot. Even if this player isn't an immediate starter, he needs to provide bench versatility and eventually become a "glue guy."

Terrence or Perry Jones could be reasonable finds, but Thomas Robinson would be an especially nice runner if he fell this far.

Toronto Raptors

What's the plan here?

This team is so severely undertalented at nearly every spot that they will be fine taking the best player available.

Andrea Bargnani, DeMar DeRozan, Jose Calderon and even Ed Davis were all considered key pieces at one point, but the Toronto Raptors haven't gone anywhere with them.

The Raptors once again find themselves in the middle of the lottery: a spot where they can get a halfway decent player, but probably not that star they so desperately need. 

DeRozan and Bargnani are the least replaceable, so the team could especially use a shooter, shot-blocker or more athletic and self-shot-creating point guard.

Jeremy Lamb would be a fantastic find, as would Bradley Beal.

Detroit Pistons

I like Joe Dumars as a player and person, but he doesn't create a lot of confidence as a general manager anymore.

He's been drafting the same tweener forwards and combo guards for so long that his roster is filled with duplicity, long contracts and guys who are "starters" only in the sense of the word.

Greg Monroe is absolutely legit. If Rodney Stuckey is along for the ride, then so be it.

Other than that, the Detroit Pistons need anyone who has an actual position, can create their own shot and has something greater to offer than just a "high motor."

Moving Monroe back to power forward with a Meyers Leonard selection wouldn't be exciting, but it would make more sense than Detroit has seen in a long time.

Weber State's Damian Lillard could be a reach, but at least people know he's a real point guard. 

Milwaukee Bucks

Here's another team caught in basketball hell: The Milwaukee Bucks are just good enough to not make the playoffs and NOT get a high draft pick either.

There aren't many big-name free agents knocking down the door for this team, so they'll once again hope to strike gold in the draft.

They haven't hit the mother lode in a long time. Even the soon-to-be-departed Brandon Jennings turned out to be more pyrite than pure.

The team badly needs a center with Andrew Bogut now gone. Jared Sullinger, Mississippi State's Arnett Moultrie or North Carolina's Tyler Zeller will likely still be available, but they won't be sure-fire NBA prospects either.

If Jennings is moved, the team could use a big point guard to pair with Monta Ellis. 

Duke's Austin Rivers or North Carolina's Kendall Marshall could provide some shooting and floor generalship, respectively.

Phoenix Suns

Does anyone still believe that Steve Nash is going to remain with the Phoenix Suns?

Both of you might not want to read any further then...

This team was built around Nash: trotting out a bunch of "soft" shooters, place-holding forwards and a fantastic pick-and-roll big named Marcin Gortat.

There are too many bad contracts to blow things up overnight, so the Suns will unreasonably try to pacify their fans by drafting the "next big point guard."

Too bad that guy doesn't exist this year.

Dion Waiters of Syracuse isn't a true one, but at least he's exciting. Damian Lillard or Kendall Marshall could both be passable as well.

Not a single one of them will be the next Steve Nash, but I think everybody knows that. 

Except for Suns management.

Houston Rockets

The Houston Rockets are another semi-contender in transition.

Kyle Lowry wants out. Kevin Martin and Luis Scola have both already been around the trade rumor mill for nearly two seasons.

As fellow writer, podcast compatriot and good buddy Ethan Norof told me the other day, the Rockets should revisit the Pau Gasol trade ASAP. His Los Angeles Lakers might be interested in a Lowry/Martin deal at this point too.

With so many unknowns, the Rockets could go in any number of directions.

If Lowry somehow stays with Goran Dragic, then Houston needs a center upgrade over Sam Dalembert. If Gasol arrives, then a good backup guard would be a responsible insurance policy.

Arnett Moultrie, Syracuse's Fab Melo or even Vanderbilt's Festus Ezeli could add size, with Dion Waiters or Austin Rivers providing some backcourt punch.

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