NBA Lottery 2012: Teams That Are in Perfect Positions to Fill Needs
While conspiracy theorists love to believe the NBA draft lottery is rigged, the league stands to lose far too much by somehow fixing the system. Last night, the New Orleans Hornets were the lucky winners of the Anthony Davis sweepstakes, fair and square.
Let's take a look at the three teams that find themselves in the most promising positions to fill a key need before next season. To see the full lottery results and updated draft order for the first round, click here.
No. 1 New Orleans Hornets
The Hornets have a glaring need at power forward, and Davis will have no problem filling it. He led the Kentucky Wildcats to a national championship—thanks to his awe-inspiring play on the defensive end—and should anchor the Hornets front line for a long time.
Time and again, the notion of a can't-miss prospect gets debunked, but it doesn't get any closer than Davis. What he was able to accomplish at the college level, against players who were often far more experienced, illustrated that he's ready for the next level.
His supporting cast will still be a work in progress for a few more seasons, so team expectations should remain low. That said, his individual performance will be worth tuning in to see and gives Hornets fans a lot to get excited about.
No. 3 Washington Wizards
Washington's biggest need is small forward. The Wizards received basically no meaningful production from the position all season. Luckily, there's a good chance they will have two good options on the board when they get to pick.
Harrison Barnes and Michael Kidd-Gilchrist are the two best swingmen in the class. They bring different skills to the table, but both are worthy of getting selected with the third pick, which puts the Wizards in a great spot.
Kidd-Gilchrist would probably be a better fit based on his ability to defend and run the floor, making him a nice match for John Wall. That said, either player would provide an immediate boost. Even if the Charlotte Bobcats take one, the Wizards still walk away happy.
No. 8 Toronto Raptors
The Raptors need somebody who can score, plain and simple. The team's offense ranked 28th in the league at just 91 points per game, and none of the young players on the roster project as an elite scorer. Toronto's top priority this offseason should be crystal clear.
Fortunately, it looks like Connecticut shooting guard Jeremy Lamb should be on the board when the Raptors come up with the eighth pick. He averaged 18 points in his final season with the Huskies while knocking down more than two three-pointers per game.
Lamb still needs to work on other areas of his game, but there should be more than enough shots available in Toronto to make him an effective starter while he develops. He would be the ideal fit to get the offense moving again.
