2012 NBA Draft Order: Post-Lottery Look at How Top 5 Picks Will Play out

With the draft order set, it is time to really get into projecting the top picks. For the teams selecting in the top five, this is a huge opportunity for them to grab a player that can turn around the sinking course of their franchise, or they can draft a bust and help their ship sink more quickly into the abyss. 

This is the moment where executives and scouts earn their salary and build their reputation. If they want to make their job easy, they should just follow the blueprint I have laid out here. 

Check out the full draft order on the NBA's official website.

1. New Orleans Hornets: Anthony Davis

It didn't matter who landed the No. 1 pick, it was always going to be Anthony Davis. He is the clear-cut best player in this draft. 

2. Charlotte Bobcats: Michael Kidd-Gilchrist 

Kidd-Gilchrist is going to the Bobcats because Michael Jordan is going to see glimpses of himself in this youngster. 

MKG is supremely athletic and ultra competitive. Jordan will be enamored with these qualities. Also, like Jordan, Kidd-Gilchrist exits college being just a consistent jump shot away from being unstoppable. 

Helping Jordan to make this pick is that it is also fairly safe. Kidd-Gilchrist is a great defensive player and solid rebounder, and these skills will help make him productive from the start. 

3. Washington Wizards: Thomas Robinson 

Robinson might be the most pro-ready player in this draft. He is an elite rebounder and already has the strength and body to get down low. 

He also has advanced footwork in the post for a player coming out of college. He does struggle a bit with defensive consistency, and he doesn't have the supreme length to handle the taller players. This will make him a nice fit with Nene in the Wizards frontcourt. 

4. Cleveland Cavaliers: Harrison Barnes

The Cavaliers need a scoring boost at the small forward position. Barnes will give them someone with the shooting touch they currently lack, and he will also give them a boost in athleticism. 

Barnes is at his best when he plays with a point guard that knows how, when and where to get him the ball, and he will be able to grow with Kyrie Irving. 

This is just a bit of a reach here, but the fit makes it worth it. 

5. Sacramento Kings: Andre Drummond 

This is the most interesting pick of the top five. The Kings already have the 6'11", 270-pound DeMarcus Cousins, and they would be adding the very similarly massive Drummond. 

However, Drummond's athleticism and size is just too much to pass on. He also runs the floor well enough that these two should be able to play together. 

This would give the Kings a mean, nasty and strong frontcourt. It would also ease the pressure on Drummond on developing his post game. 

As he began to hone his post moves, the Kings would have amazing flexibility to make a trade or have one of the most imposing big-man duos in the league.