NBA Draft Lottery 2012: 5 Teams Most in Need of a Good Draft

Tonight marks the NBA lottery—catch it tonight at 8 p.m. ET on ESPN. 

It's not the actual draft, but the order determination for the NBA draft. Each NBA team is represented by a certain amount of ping-pong balls, and the NBA chooses them at random, determining the top three positions in the draft. 

After the top three teams are selected, the rest of the teams pick from worst record to best record. This system can be agonizing—the team with the worst record hasn't picked No. 1 overall since 2004—but it adds a sense of drama to the NBA draft. 

Here are the five teams most in need of a good draft. 

5. Phoenix Suns

With the likely departure of point guard Steve Nash in the offseason, the Phoenix Suns are going to look vastly different next season. 

Nash, a two-time MVP, carried the Suns to the postseason many times.

His imminent loss means the Suns are going to have to replace him. 

The Suns have only a 2.2-percent chance of picking in the top three in this year's draft, but they could use the pick just as much as the teams who finished with a worse record. 

Without Nash, the Suns are likely bottom-feeders in the Western Conference. 

4. Cleveland Cavaliers

The Cleveland Cavaliers drafted No. 1 in last year's draft and selected the eventual Rookie of the Year in point guard Kyrie Irving. 

Irving has a bright future, but he needs a better supporting cast, particularly at shooting guard and small forward. 

The Cavs finished tied with New Orleans with the third-worst record in the NBA at 21-45. They certainly need some more pieces surrounding Irving to contend in the future. 

3. New Orleans Hornets

The New Orleans Hornets finally got an owner.

It's Tom Benson, who also owns the New Orleans Saints. 

But the Hornets have many problems on the court, mostly stemming from trading superstar point guard Chris Paul during the offseason to LA. 

Eric Gordon missed most of the 2011-2012 season with an injury, only playing in nine games during the season, but they need additional help. 

With a 21-45 record, the Hornets finished last in the Western Conference. The Hornets need help, and they have a good chance to get some with a likely high selection in the draft. 

2. Washington Wizards

For quite some time, the Washington Wizards have been an awful NBA team.

Even with point guard John Wall, a No. 1 overall pick two years ago, the Wizards finished with the second-worst record in the NBA this season. 

Nene is a decent center, but the Wizards need help at the 2, 3 and 4 positions on the basketball court.

The Wizards appear to have some solid players—Rashard Lewis and Andray Blatche, to be specific, but neither played well last year. 

The Wizards need some fresh faces on the team, and the NBA draft is where they can acquire elite talent. The Wizards haven't made the playoffs since 2007-08 and need to draft well to make it there again. 

1. Charlotte Bobcats

Was there really any doubt about this one? 

The Charlotte Bobcats infamously set the NBA record for the lowest winning percentage in an NBA season this year. 

They might need more help than any team in the history of the NBA. Owner Michael Jordan is certainly not as talented in the front office as he is on the court.

Maybe he can suit up for the Bobcats next season? He's come out of retirement before. 

All jokes aside the Bobcats need help on the basketball court. The consensus No. 1 overall pick is Anthony Davis from Kentucky. 

The Bobcats are still going to need more help than Davis, but at least it's a start.