NBA Mock Draft 2012: Best Options for Teams That Need to Win Now

The 2012 NBA draft is less than 10 days away and teams are starting to get a clearer picture of the players they want to take to help their teams turn the corner.

The main goal every season, for every NBA team, is to win the NBA title, and that begins with starting to win games at a more consistent level.

Every NBA team wants to win. There's no question about that. The real question is which players in this year's draft can help teams win immediately.

Ahead is a mock, first-round draft that focuses on every team's best option for helping them win right now. 

No. 1 New Orleans Hornets: Anthony Davis, PF, Kentucky

To put any player here other than Anthony Davis would be foolish.

He's the consensus No. 1 overall pick, and he's one of a few players in this year's draft class that are ready to make an immediate impact in the ranks of the NBA.

Davis will give the Hornets the franchise player they need and he'll help them win quite a few more games than they did last season. While the Hornets aren't going to set the NBA on fire next year by becoming a contender in the West, they'll still be more competitive with Davis on their roster.

No. 2 Charlotte Bobcats: Michael Kidd-Gilchrist, SF, Kentucky

The Charlotte Bobcats have more needs then they can fill heading into the 2012 NBA draft.

The one need that stands above all the rest though is the need to infuse their team with some immediate offensive production.

One player who can do that is Michael Kidd-Gilchrist. He's an athletic and versatile forward with a pure ability to score.

While the Bobcats could go a number of ways with their No. 2 overall pick, they'd be foolish to pass on an offensive talent like Kidd-Gilchrist. 

No. 3 Washington Wizards: Thomas Robinson, PF, Kansas

The Washington Wizards certainly need to turn things around, and they can't do that without an ability to dominate teams in the paint.

With Nene Hilario solidifying the center position, all the Wizards need is physical player at the power forward spot who can come in and produce at a consistent level while also being an absolute beast on the defensive side of the ball.

Thomas Robinson is exactly that player. Robinson is one of the most physically gifted players in the draft, and he has an NBA-ready frame that will help him make an immediate impact for the Wizards.

No. 4 Cleveland Cavaliers: Bradley Beal, SG, Florida

The Cleveland Cavaliers are one of the most exciting teams in the NBA, and they're one player away from being a legitimately dangerous team.

While the Cavaliers need to solidify their bench and their frontcourt through the draft, they have a perfect opportunity with their No. 4 pick to create one of the most deadly guard duos in the game.

Drafting Bradley Beal will do just that. With Beal playing aside the 2012 NBA Rookie of the Year, Kyrie Irving, there's no telling how dangerous the Cavaliers can be.

The Cavaliers can quickly become a playoff contender in the East by drafting Beal, as he'll add immediate offensive production into the Cavs' starting rotation. 

No. 5 Sacramento Kings: Andre Drummond, C, Connecticut

The Sacramento Kings have one of the most exciting rosters in the NBA, but they also have one of the most unpolished rosters.

The problem the Kings have is that they have DeMarcus Cousins playing out of position, and they can put an end to that by drafting a center with their No. 5 pick.

While Andre Drummond is a somewhat raw player, there's no doubt that he has the highest upside of all the center prospects in the 2012 draft class.

Drummond will give the Kings a seven-foot body to put into the paint, which will help the Kings spread the court on offense while also helping add intensity and athleticism for the Kings on the defensive side of the ball. 

No. 6 Portland Trail Blazers (Via Brooklyn Nets): Dion Waiters, SG/PG, Syracuse

The Portland Trail Blazers have quite an opportunity with the No. 6 overall pick. They have a chance to draft an elite guard who can help them forget about Brandon Roy and his retirement.

The Blazers certainly need to create depth on their bench and find a legitimate center to play alongside LaMarcus Aldridge, but they have a chance to draft an NBA-ready player to solidify their backcourt.

Dion Waiters is that kind of player. His draft stock has sky rocketed since the NCAA tournament and his recent pre-draft workouts.

Waiters is a combo guard who can come in and run the point or add offensive production on the wing, and that's exactly what the Blazers need to become a winning team. 

No. 7 Golden State Warriors: Harrison Barnes, SF, North Carolina

Without Monta Ellis and with Andrew Bogut yet to play a minute for the Warriors, there's no doubt that they have quite a few needs to fill in the draft.

To help the Warriors turn into a winning team, they'll need to find a player who's versatile and ready to step right in and add a level of physicality to their depth chart.

Harrison Barnes is the man for that job, as he's one of the most mature and NBA-ready players in this year's draft.

If Barnes can help bring some defensive pressure to the Warriors this upcoming season, they might be able to transition from being one of the worst teams in the NBA to being competitive once again. 

No. 8 Toronto Raptors: Jeremy Lamb, SG, Connecticut

It's time for the Toronto Raptors to start rebuilding their team around Andrea Bargnani.

DeMar DeRozan certainly hasn't worked out like the Raptors have helped and it's time for them to draft a player who can solidify the shooting guard position.

Jeremy Lamb is the athletic kind of player who can do that. He can play out on the wing and help the Raptors become a more offensively explosive team.

With Lamb on the roster, the Raptors can begin to turn things around in Toronto, and return to playoff contention in the East. 

No. 9 Detroit Pistons: Jared Sullinger, PF, Ohio State

No one is saying that Jared Sullinger is the most physically gifted or athletic player in this year's draft class, and that's good news for the Detroit Pistons.

The Pistons need to find Greg Monroe's frontcourt partner and they need a player who's ready to play in a half-court offense, rather than trying to run the court out of position.

That's exactly the kind of player Sullinger is.

He's ready to come in and outwork everyone around him while adding an impressive ability to rebound the ball against bigger and stronger players. Sullinger can help the Pistons take a step in the direction of returning to the playoffs sooner than many might have thought.

No. 10 New Orleans Hornets (Via Timberwolves): Damian Lillard, PG, Weber State

If Damian Lillard is available when the New Orleans Hornets are picking at the No. 10 spot, they absolutely have to draft him.

Lillard is one of the most explosive offensive players in the draft and he's exactly the kind of player who could generate some excitement for the Hornets next season.

Of all the players in the draft, Lillard is one who could end up being the steal of the draft. He's physical and athletic, and he knows how to score the ball like a shooting guard.

With Lillard running the point, the Hornets could be an extremely dangerous team next year. 

No. 11 Portland Trail Blazers: Tyler Zeller, C, North Carolina

There are a lot of questions surrounding the Portland Trail Blazers and their roster heading into the 2012-13 season, but the one need they certainly have exists at the center position.

Ever since Greg Oden's productive days in the NBA lessened, the Trail Blazers have been looking for a talented seven-footer who can solidify the Blazers' frontcourt.

Tyler Zeller is the kind of seven-footer that can do just that. Zeller has an NBA-ready frame, and he also is the kind of fundamentally sound center that the Blazers can use immediately.

With Zeller and LaMarcus Aldridge in the Blazers' frontcourt, they can get over the hump of being on the edge of the playoff picture ever year. 

No. 12 Milwaukee Bucks: Meyers Leonard, C, Illinois

The Milwaukee Bucks traded away one of the most talented centers in the league when they traded Andrew Bogut to the Golden State Warriors.

Luckily for the Bucks they have a chance to draft Bogut's replacement in this year's draft and they can do just that by selecting Illinois center Meyers Leonard.

While Leonard isn't exactly he most NBA-ready player in the draft, he certainly has all the intangibles it takes to be a truly dominant center in the NBA.

If Leonard can develop into a productive player sooner rather than later, the Bucks can be a playoff team, and they can certainly develop into one of the stronger teams in the Eastern Conference. 

No. 13 Phoenix Suns: Austin Rivers, SG/PG, Duke

If the Phoenix Suns want to start winning, it's time to transition away from Steve Nash and start building around the talent they have like Jared Dudley and Marcin Gortat.

The Suns can do just that by selecting Doc Rivers' son, Austin Rivers, with their No. 13 pick.

Rivers isn't the most mature player in the draft, but he's certainly a player with an extremely high upside, especially when you consider that he's been around the NBA for the majority of his life, thanks to his dad.

Even if the Suns have Nash next year, they can groom Rivers into being the kind of player they want him to be, and that's quite an opportunity for the Suns to have. 

No. 14 Houston Rockets: Perry Jones III, PF, Baylor

Perry Jones III is a raw player, but that's what makes him so special.

With the right coaching and the right veteran talent around him, he can use his freakish athleticism to develop into quite a talent at the forward position.

The Rockets don't necessarily need Jones, but they could certainly benefit from having his skill set coming off the bench.

Jones can help solidify the Rockets' second unit, which will in turn make them a much more competitive team in the Western Conference. It might even be able to help them make the playoffs again.

No. 15 Philadelphia 76ers: Terrence Jones, PF, Kentucky

It's time for the Philadelphia 76ers to move on from Elton Brand, and they can help that process along by by drafting his replacement in this year's draft.

Out of all the power forwards in the draft class, Terrence Jones might be the most NBA-ready. He's a physical player and as long as he stays motivated, he can be a very versatile player in any team's offense.

Jones can step right in and add production to an already stacked 76ers' bench rotation.

With Jones coming off the bench, the 76ers will be an even more dangerous team than they were this past season, and that means they'll be able to make the playoffs at a higher spot than the eighth seed. 

No. 16 Houston Rockets (Via New York Knicks): Moe Harkless, SF, St. Johns

Moe Harkless is the kind of draft prospect that NBA scouts will fall in love with because of his ability to jump out of the gym, and his freakish athleticism on both sides of the ball.

While the Rockets might have more pressing needs than drafting a versatile small forward, there's no doubt that the prospect of having Harkless coming off the bench is an exciting one to say the least.

Harkless needs to add polish to his game, but if he does that he'll certainly be able to be a productive wing man in the NBA.

Harkless would give the Rockets a much needed boost of athleticism, which would help them compete with the younger and more versatile teams in the Western Conference. 

No. 17 Dallas Mavericks: Kendall Marshall, PG, North Carolina

The most pressing need for the Dallas Mavericks in the draft is to get younger wherever they can.

They can do just that by trying to find Jason Kidd's replacement, and Kendall Marshall is exactly that kind of player.

Marshall might not be the most offensively explosive point guard in the draft, but he's certainly the truest point guard, and that's what the Mavericks need.

The Mavericks need to find a player who can facilitate the game to the talent around him and Marshall can do just that. Marshall can help the Mavericks get back to being a competitive team in the West, while buying a little bit of time find talent to replace the aging veterans on the team. 

No. 18 Minnesota Timberwolves (Via Utah Jazz): Terrence Ross, SG, Washington

The Minnesota Timberwolves are one solid shooting guard away from being one of the more dangerous teams in the Western Conference.

With Kevin Love and Ricky Rubio, the Timberwolves have one of the most exciting rosters in the league, and drafting an explosive scorer like Terrence Ross could get them over the hump of being a below-average team in the West.

Ross certainly isn't the most efficient shooting guard in the draft, but his athleticism would fit in perfectly with the talent the Timberwolves currently have.

Even if Ross doesn't start for the Timberwolves, Ross can still be a productive member of the T'Wolves' second unit, helping solidify an otherwise underwhelming backup unit. 

No. 19 Orlando Magic: Arnett Moultrie, PF, Mississippi State

The Orlando Magic are going no where fast, especially with the future of their frontcourt up in the air.

It's time for the Magic to start finding a player who can solidify their frontcourt in case Dwight Howard and Ryan Anderson don't decide to stay in Orlando.

Arnett Moultrie is that kind of player. He's more of a true power forward than Anderson, and he's athletic enough to help spread the floor.

With Moultrie and his athletic abilities coming off the bench, the Magic might be able to return to competing at a consistent level in the Eastern Conference, which is something that they've forgotten how to do. 

No. 20 Denver Nuggets: Marquis Teague, PG, Kentucky

With Andre Miller hitting free agency, the Denver Nuggets' biggest need is to find Ty Lawson's backup.

Marquis Teague is a player who can certainly manage to do that. While Teague's size doesn't really help him, he's on the sane level as Lawson, and we've seen how that has worked out for the Nuggets.

The positive thing about Teague is that he can play at the shooting guard spot as well, which makes him one of the more versatile guard prospects in the draft.

With some production out of Teague coming in for Lawson, the Nuggets can remain just as competitive as they've been over the past few seasons. 

No. 21 Boston Celtics: Royce White, PF, Iowa State

The Boston Celtics have as many, if not more, draft needs than any team in this year's draft.

With so many questions surrounding which of their star players are going to be back for the 2012-13 season, the Celtics need to start finding players who can both be the future of their franchise and also learn behind veteran talent if they decide to come back.

Royce White is a freakishly athletic player, but he's also one of the more immature players in the draft. Sound familiar? To me, he sounds like a stronger and less efficient Kevin Garnett.

White is able to spread the floor with his perimeter shooting and he's also one of the more physically gifted big men in the draft. The Celtics need to draft White because the potential that exists in his game outweighs his bust potential.  

No. 22 Boston Celtics: Tony Wroten Jr., SG/PG, Washington

Tony Wroten Jr. is listed as a point guard, but he's more fitted to play the shooting guard position because of his pure ability to score and his ability to slash into the paint.

Trying to find Ray Allen's replacement is a major need for the Celtics and Wroten could very well be that player.

Wroten needs to work on his efficiency and his ability to facilitate, but at the same time, his pure ability to score is something that the Celtics can benefit from regardless of who comes back next season.

With Wroten at the two-guard spot, the Celtics can be a more dangerous team next season because he adds depth to an otherwise underwhelming bench. 

No. 23 Atlanta Hawks: Jeffery Taylor, SF, Vanderbilt

If the Atlanta Hawks want to compete in the Eastern Conference they absolutely must add some legitimate bench production to their roster. 

The Hawks can do that while also getting more athletic at the small forward position, but drafting Jeffery Taylor.

Taylor is the kind of player who can have an immediate impact on an NBA team because of his insane athleticism and his ability to finish strong at the rim.

In a lot of respects, Taylor reminds me of Thabo Sefolosha, and that's not a bad thing. Taylor can add defensive pressure for the Hawks while also being able to make the Hawks a more offensively dangerous team. 

No. 24 Cleveland Cavaliers (via Lakers): Andrew Nicholson, PF/C, St. Bonaventure

It's time for the Cleveland Cavalier to find a player who can solidify their frontcourt, as Antawn Jamison is a free agent, and even if they bring him back, he's nearing the end of his career.

The Cavaliers can do just that by drafting Andrew Nicholson.  He's the kind of player who can play both the power forward and center spot, and he's an absolute force to be reckoned with on the defensive side of the ball.

NIcholson is one of the few players in this year's draft who's truly ready to step in and make an immediate impact on an NBA roster, and hopefully the Cavaliers can realize that. 

By drafting Beal No. 4 overall and following that up with Nicholson with the No. 24 pick, the Cavaliers can solidify themselves as a playoff contender in the East.

No. 25 Memphis Grizzlies: Tyshawn Taylor, PG, Kansas

One of the main reasons why the Memphis Grizzlies couldn't make it out of the first round of the playoffs this past season is because they lack depth on their bench.

The Grizzlies have five solid starters, but past that the Grizzlies are a woefully underwhelming team.

One of the Grizzlies weakest spots is at the point guard position behind Mike Conley Jr., and the Grizzlies can address that by drafting Tyshawn Taylor.

Taylor is an athletic combo guard who is NBA ready because he spent all four years at Kansas honing his skills. While Taylor might not be the most consistent player, there's no doubt that he's ready to have an impact in the NBA with his athletic play and his ability to create offense for his teammates.  

No. 26 Indiana Pacers: Quincy Miller, SF, Baylor

At one point in time, Quincy Miller was considered to be a lottery pick, but after an underwhelming draft combine, he's falling to the latter parts of the first round.

The Indiana Pacers are a team that could benefit from taking a chance on Miller and his unpolished skills.

The Pacers undoubtedly need to add a level of explosive athleticism on the wing coming off the bench, and that just so happens to be exactly what Miller brings to the court.

If the Pacers want to compete with teams like the Miami Heat and the Chicago Bulls they need to be more athletic, and that's what Miller can help them out with. 

No. 27 Miami Heat: Festus Ezeli, C, Vanderbilt

While the Miami Heat could benefit from drafting the best player available on the board just to add a level of depth to their bench, a better option is to draft a center who can provide them with offensive production.

Festus Ezeli isn't the most complete center in the draft, but he's one of the more mature, NBA-ready prospects.

In addition to being able to put up offensive production in the paint, Ezeli is a more physical and dominant defender than the big men the Heat currently have on their roster.

Without Ezeli, there's no doubt that the Heat can still win, but with him they'll be that much more of a complete team. 

No. 28 Oklahoma City Thunder: Draymond Green, PF, Michigan State

If there's one thing we've learned about the Oklahoma City Thunder in the NBA Finals, it's that they desperately need more bench production.

Luckily for the Thunder, they can find just that with the No. 28 pick in the draft by going after a proven-winner, Draymond Green.

Green is the kind of player who's going to outwork everyone on the court and in the locker room in addition to being one of the more mature players on the team.

Green is a physical forward who can bang in the paint or step out and hurt his opponents out on the perimeter. That's exactly the kind of player the Thunder need, and the kind of player who can help them win more than they currently are. 

No. 29 Chicago Bulls: Doron Lamb, SG, Kentucky

The Chicago Bulls certainly need to find a shooting guard in this year's draft.

But what if they could draft a player who could fill their need at the two spot while also being able to fill in for Derrick Rose, if needed?

That's exactly what the Bulls can do by drafting Doron Lamb. He's one of the more explosive point guards in the draft and he's versatile enough to play as a scoring two-guard if that's what the Bulls need from him.

Versatility is something the Bulls desperately need to add to their roster, and Lamb can do just that, and he can step in and do it immediately. 

No. 30 Golden State Warriors (Via Spurs): John Jenkins, SG, Vanderbilt

With the talent the Golden State Warriors have on their roster they can be a competitive team in the Western Conference next season. 

That is if they are able to add some depth on the bench.

One position that the Warriors could benefit from said depth, is at the shooting guard spot, and John Jenkins is the player who can add that depth.

Jenkins doesn't do much more than score the ball, but he does that extremely well. He's one of the pure scorers in the draft and the Warriors could turn the corner with his talents.