2012 NBA Draft Order: Will Lack of Lottery Locks Force Teams to Wheel and Deal?

One look at the teams selecting amongst the first 14 picks in Thursday's NBA Draft order will leave you with little doubt that at least a few of these teams will look to make some moves.

It's not that there aren't any number of guys entirely worthy of being chosen in this year's lottery—it's just that they may not be what these particular clubs are looking for. Potential all-stars are always a nice find, but organizations long suffering from mediocrity need more than upside.

They need a sure thing.

Outside of a few guys who unquestionably have it made, finding guaranteed NBA talent won't be easy. 

Sure, Syracuse's Dion Waiters could become a poor man's Dwyane Wade, but he could also wind up a poor man's Rodney Stuckey. Baylor's Perry Jones III and Kentucky's Terrence Jones similarly baffle scouts with the kind of superstar talent that hasn't exactly translated into superstar results.

Meanwhile, the lottery is full of teams on the brink of sneaking into the playoffs. The Houston Rockets, Portland Trail Blazers, Phoenix Suns, Golden State Warriors and Milwaukee Bucks are all a piece or two away from making some noise.

The Rockets may be pursuing drastic measures in order to do so, and that's not merely a product of its desire to land a major star. It's also what happens when a franchise isn't confident in its ability to land an immediate difference-maker later in the lottery.

The Suns came close to making the playoffs last season, and they certainly have the cap space to put together a rotation capable of going a step further.

Unfortunately, the 13th pick in the draft may not be especially helpful in that endeavor—at least not right away.

The same goes for the Portland Trail Blazers, who have already have a solid core of LaMarcus Aldridge, Nic Batum and Wesley Matthews. According to ESPN's Chad Ford, new general manager Neil Olshey says he'll be holding on to the picks, but it wouldn't be at all surprising to see that change should the right offer come along.

The team most likely to move its pick could be the Golden State Warriors.

New general manager Bob Meyers is open to dealing the seventh-overall pick for a veteran, and that should come as no surprise.

The team walked away from the 2011 draft with three prospects, including shooting guard Klay Thompson—the probable starter with Monta Ellis now in Milwaukee. Golden State also features a young point guard in Stephen Curry, so there's some logic to adding a more proven commodity with vets like Andrew Bogut and David Lee holding down the paint.

Golden State is itching for a return to the postseason, and that may be significantly more likely if the club sacrifices a prospect for someone who can help them right away.

Of course, none of these are easy decisions. In fact, letting go of a guy who could become a star may keep the wheeling and dealing to a minimum.

But, that will also require some patience—something a few of these clubs might not have.