2012 NBA Mock Draft: Most Likely Landing Spots for Stars of Tomorrow

With the 2012 NBA draft only 10 days away, it's time for another mock draft of the first round. 

Who will your team pick? 

Will the management go for upside or the sure thing? Will they draft for position or just take the best player available? 

We'll have all the official answers on June 28th, but this is the next best thing until that point. 

1. New Orleans Hornets: Anthony Davis, Kentucky

Anthony Davis is so locked in at the No. 1 spot in the draft that the fans of the New Orleans Hornets might as well throw out their tweezers and razors. 

It's time to grow unibrows and rally around their new franchise player. 

2. Charlotte Bobcats: Thomas Robinson, Kansas

Thomas Robinson thinks he should be the No. 1 pick, but going second to a talent like Anthony Davis is by no means a reason for embarrassment. 

Although Michael Kidd-Gilchrist may be a more intriguing option here, Thomas Robinson gives the Charlotte Bobcats the help they need in the scoring department. 

3. Washington Wizards: Michael Kidd-Gilchrist, Kentucky

Some players on the Washington Wizards like to shoot a little too much. Yes, I'm talking primarily about Jordan Crawford. 

That won't be a problem for Michael Kidd-Gilchrist, who thrives when he's contributing in all areas and giving it his all on defense and the glass. 

4. Cleveland Cavaliers: Bradley Beal, Florida

The Cleveland Cavaliers are a solid shooting guard away from competing in the Eastern Conference for a playoff spot. That's exactly what Bradley Beal is. 

A great offensive talent, this former Florida Gator will help form one of the best one-two backcourt punches in the NBA. 

5. Sacramento Kings: Andre Drummond, Connecticut

A boom-or-bust prospect of the highest magnitude, Andre Drummond is either going to be a star down the road or flop out of the league in epic proportions. There doesn't seem to be any in between, even if there obviously is. 

The Sacramento Kings have never shied away from making controversial and risky draft decisions. This year will be no different. 

6. Portland Trail Blazers (via Brooklyn Nets): Damian Lillard, Weber State

Raymond Felton and Jamal Crawford have not proven to be the answer at point guard for the Portland Trail Blazers, which means that it's time to turn to the draft in an effort to find a new one. 

Damian Lillard is the clear-cut choice here as the best floor general in the draft class. 

7. Golden State Warriors: Harrison Barnes, North Carolina

Harrison Barnes is no longer the mythologized prospect that he once was, but he still has the shooting ability to make a rather large impact at the next level. 

The Golden State Warriors need to find a small forward to join Stephen Curry, Klay Thompson, David Lee and Andrew Bogut in the starting lineup. There is no better option than Barnes at No. 7. 

8. Toronto Raptors: Jeremy Lamb, Connecticut

As long as the Toronto Raptors can convince Jeremy Lamb to stay motivated, they'll be in great shape after making this pick at No. 8. 

Lamb is one of my upper-level-sleeper picks for Rookie of the Year contention, although he'll have to beat out incoming rookie Jonas Valanciunas, among others, to do so. 

9. Detroit Pistons: Meyers Leonard, Illinois

This may be a reach for Meyers Leonard, but it's a risk the Detroit Pistons should be willing to take. Greg Monroe has the passing skills and versatility to be a big power forward in the league, and Meyers Leonard, as a true seven-footer, would pay dividends at center. 

Just like Bradley Beal and Kyrie Irving would form one of the best young backcourt tandems, so too would Leonard and Monroe in the frontcourt. 

10. New Orleans Hornets (via Minnesota Timberwolves): Jared Sullinger, Ohio State

This pick is starting to gain a bit more steam as it becomes more and more apparent that Jared Sullinger and Anthony Davis complement each other quite well. 

A complete renovation of the frontcourt, plus the re-signing of Eric Gordon, would make this team contenders for a playoff spot in the Western Conference as early as next season. 

11. Portland Trail Blazers: Austin Rivers, Duke

Austin Rivers has a guarantee from a team picking late in the lottery, and there aren't many better fits than the Portland Trail Blazers. 

Even if Portland doesn't typically make promises about the draft, the fit is too good to pass up here. 

12. Milwaukee Bucks: John Henson, North Carolina

If John Henson is still available at this point in the draft, the Milwaukee Bucks have to draft him to shore up their defensive presence in the paint.

Henson is one of the premier shot-blockers in the draft class, and he's developing on the offensive end of the court. With his versatility on defense, he'll receive a large role even as a rookie.  

13. Phoenix Suns: Dion Waiters, Syracuse

According to the Journal Times' Gary Woelfel, "I’ve been told by two NBA officials that it is the Phoenix Suns, who pick right after the Bucks." 

That makes my job easy. 

14. Houston Rockets: Perry Jones III, Baylor

Regardless of where Perry Jones III plays—at small forward, power forward or center in an undersized lineup—he's a bargain at this point in the draft. 

Assuming he can stay motivated throughout an entire season, PJ3 has the talent necessary to justify a top-five pick and not just one at No. 14. 

15. Philadelphia 76ers: Terrence Jones, Kentucky

The Philadelphia 76ers can use some more size, and Terrence Jones would do that as a big small forward who can also play power forward. 

Plus, the addition of this Kentucky Wildcat would make Andre Iguodala a little more expendable. 

16. Houston Rockets (via New York Knicks): Tyler Zeller, North Carolina

Finding a true seven-footer with skills at No. 16 is pretty rare, which makes Tyler Zeller a must-draft player for the center-starved Houston Rockets. 

Zeller isn't a sexy pick, and I highly doubt that he'll ever be a star, but he is a safe pick. 

17. Dallas Mavericks: Kendall Marshall, North Carolina

With no guarantee of signing someone like Deron Williams or Steve Nash in free agency, the Dallas Mavericks should hedge their bets and select the second-best point guard prospect in this year's draft.

Kendall Marshall may be a limited scorer, but he'd make Dirk Nowitzki's life a lot easier with his passing skills.  

18. Minnesota Timberwolves (via Utah Jazz): Terrence Ross, Washington

The Minnesota Timberwolves need a young man who can capably play shooting guard and Terrence Ross can do that, despite the fact that he's primarily a small forward. 

With Ricky Rubio running the show and Kevin love putting up historic numbers on a nightly basis, this could easily become a playoff squad. 

19. Orlando Magic: Arnett Moultrie, Mississippi State

With Ryan Anderson and Dwight Howard both possibly leaving Orlando for a new, less dysfunctional team, the Magic need to draft a big man. 

For all the red flags that might pop up, Arnett Moultrie is still a lottery-level physical talent who could make the Magic very thankful that he fell this far. 

20. Denver Nuggets: Moe Harkless, St. John's

With his insane hops and lighting-fast hands on defense, Moe Harkless keeps moving further up draft boards and could possibly be a lottery pick by the time it's all said and done.

The small forward only spent one season at St. John's, and he'll take some time to adjust to the level of play in the NBA, but his potential is about as high as his vertical jump. 

21. Boston Celtics: Andrew Nicholson, St. Bonaventure

According to CBS's Jeff Goodman, Andrew Nicholson was one of the biggest winners directly following the combine. 

I've been watching a lot of tape on Nicholson lately in an effort to finally decide how I feel about him. After watching some Hakeem Olajuwon-like footwork, I can't help but be sold.

22. Boston Celtics (via Los Angeles Clippers):  Royce White, Iowa State

This is too good to pass up, so let me share with you some brilliance from the mind of Bill Simmons: 

"

I've already talked myself into The Guy Who's Afraid To Fly. He's the rich man's Boris Diaw! I'm all in! We could just play him 55 games a year — all home games and any East Coast game that he can get to by train. In the playoffs, we'll just roofie him before every road trip. This will be fine. Give me The Guy Who's Afraid To Fly!

"

23. Atlanta Hawks: Quincy Miller, Baylor

There was a time when Quincy Miller was a projected lottery pick. That time has passed, but the potential still exists. 

The Atlanta Hawks need someone to replace Marvin Williams, and Miller could do that, assuming that he learns how to shoot the basketball. As someone who struggles to do exactly that, I can tell you that's no easy task. 

24. Cleveland Cavaliers: Fab Melo, Syracuse

The Cleveland Cavaliers don't have any true needs after selecting Bradley Beal at No. 4, which means they can focus on drafting depth in the frontcourt.

Fab Melo is the best big man left on the board, but only by default after the stocks of Andrew Nicholson and Arnett Moultrie have both climbed.  

25. Memphis Grizzlies: Evan Fournier, France

The Memphis Grizzlies want to take a player at No. 25 that they can leave in Europe for a year or two. 

That makes Evan Fournier the most logical option. 

26. Indiana Pacers: Marquis Teague, Kentucky

The Indiana Pacers have a solid all-around basketball team, but they need a little bit of improvement at the point guard position.

Marquis Teague is a high-upside option who showed a lot of promise during the Kentucky Wildcats' run through the postseason. 

27. Miami Heat: Festus Ezeli

The Miami Heat need help at center and point guard, but they're going to have to reach to do so with Marquis Teague and Fab Melo both off the board. 

Even though he's not talented enough to merit a first-round pick, Festus Ezeli fills the need for Miami so perfectly that they can afford to take him early. 

28. Oklahoma City Thunder: Draymond Green, Michigan State

Adding a winner like Draymond Green to a contender never hurts, especially when that contender is already deep across the board and will only get deeper with the return of Eric Maynor. 

Green would bring more intangibles to the team and give Kevin Durant a well-deserved opportunity to rest without being forced to the bench by foul trouble. 

29. Chicago Bulls: Doron Lamb, Kentucky

Just imagine how scary the Chicago Bulls would be if they landed a two-way shooting guard like Doron Lamb.

Once Derrick Rose returns from his ACl injury, Tom Thibodeau could potentially throw out a lineup of Rose, Lamb, Luol Deng, Carlos Boozer and Joakim Noah.  

30. Golden State Warriors (via San Antonio Spurs):  Tony Wroten, Washington

Tony Wroten may fall out of the first round due to his poor jumper and inability to coexist with teammates, but the fact that his jumper is broken and needs to be completely reworked gives hope that he'll live up to his potential. 

The Dubs have already picked up a small forward in this mock draft and can afford to go for backcourt depth at No. 30.