NBA Draft 2012 Grades: Which Teams Aced, Flunked the Draft?
Every team wants to pass the 2012 NBA draft with flying colors, preferably the colors of their own team, but not every organization can. For every great pick, there's usually an equally bad decision made by the men in charge.
These are the teams who managed to ace and flunk the first round of the draft.
For the most part, I'm sticking to the first round, although I will mention a few early second-round picks. Also, these are not "flunks" and "aces" for the team's draft process as a whole, but rather individual picks and—in a few notable cases—groups of picks.
So, who did the best and the worst?
Flunked: Cleveland Cavaliers, Dion Waiters (No. 4)
The Cleveland Cavaliers needed a wing player who can shoot from the outside, but Dion Waiters is more of a threat in transition and handling the ball in pick-and-roll situations. That doesn't mesh very well with a ball-controlling point guard like Kyrie Irving.
This undersized shooting guard is still a solid player, but he was drafted way too early at No. 4 and probably won't live up to the expectations associated with that pick.
This marks two consecutive years that Cleveland has reached with the No. 4 pick. Tristan Thompson didn't make much of an impact as a rookie and I expect the same from Waiters.
Aced: Sacramento Kings, Thomas Robinson (No. 5)
Thomas Robinson dropped a bit further than expected and the Sacramento Kings scooped him up at No. 5. He's the perfect fit for the Kings, who needed to add another quality player in the frontcourt while avoiding drafting a backcourt player like the plague.
Robinson is one of the most NBA-ready players in this draft class and should continue to be a walking, living, breathing double-double at the next level. With him and DeMarcus Cousins crashing the boards, it's going to be hard for an opposing team to ever win the rebounding battle on either end of the court.
Despite the pre-draft whisperings that the Kings were going to continue to collect guards and draft Damian Lillard, they made the perfect pick at No. 5.
Flunked: Philadelphia 76ers, Maurice Harkless (No. 15)
Maurice Harkless, formerly known as Moe Harkless, is one of the prospects I really liked going into this draft. I still do, but I absolutely hate the fit for the Philadelphia 76ers.
The Sixers already have a couple of versatile forwards in the forms of Andre Iguodala and Thaddeus Young. Iggy is always rumored to be on the trading block and it seems like the presence of Harkless may force him out of town.
I don't like that at all, as Harkless is anything but established after just one year at St. John's whereas Iguodala is a borderline All-Star every year.
Moreover, the Sixers need outside shooters, not players with developing jumpers who prefer playing on the inside and utilizing their insane athleticism in transition.
Aced: Golden State Warriors, Harrison Barnes (No. 7), Festus Ezeli (No. 30)
The only major hole in the Golden State lineup was found at small forward last year as the Dubs had to be content to play Dorell Wright every night at the 3.
That'll change now as Harrison Barnes and The Black Falcon brand travel to the West Coast to play for Mark Jackson.
Barnes has one of the best shots in this class and Stephen Curry's creativity will give him plenty of opportunities to use it. Plus, he's a solid defender and may be able to help increase the focus on that end of the court.
He's not the perfect prospect, but he fits in perfectly with Golden State.
With Festus Ezeli, the Dubs also picked up a nice insurance policy in case/when Andrew Bogut gets hurt for the millionth time.
Ezeli may not be a sexy pick, but he's a solid option and a good value at No. 30.
Flunked: Boston Celtics, Jared Sullinger (No. 21), Fab Melo (No. 22)
In the words of Bleacher Report's own Kyle Vassalo:
""we got a guy who can't move and a guy who can't read. one will work out right?" #CelticsProblems
— Kyle Vassalo (@ASU52) June 29, 2012"
Jared Sullinger and Fab Melo could both work out well for the Boston Celtics, but you're generally not supposed to take risky and limited prospects with back-to-back selections.
Speaking of backs, Sullinger's doesn't exactly work.
Aced: Detroit Pistons, Andre Drummond (No. 9)
I'd expected the Detroit Pistons to draft John Henson at No. 9, never anticipating in a million years that Andre Drummond would fall that far.
Once the Pistons snatched their jaws off the floors, they next snatched up this Connecticut Husky, presumably without a second thought. Remember, as raw as he is, Drummond has as high a ceiling as anyone in this class.
Moreover, he complements Greg Monroe perfectly in the Detroit frontcourt. While Monroe is an athletically challenged, technique-loving, offensive big man, Drummond is an athletically gifted, technique-spurning, defensive big man.
Drummond won't contribute immediately, but he'll help make the Pistons into a playoff team as he and Brandon Knight continue to develop.
Flunked: Indiana Pacers, Miles Plumlee (No. 26)
If the Indiana Pacers really wanted a big man, there were far better options on the board.
They could have gone with Arnett Moultrie or Perry Jones III—the two players who were selected with the next two picks. They also could have drafted Festus Ezeli, Bernard James, Ognjen Kuzmic, Dusan Cantekin or Henry Sims.
The last few names on that list may not even be drafted and I still think they're going to be better NBA players than this athletic big who never made a huge impact in college.
A lot of times, athleticism is a mask for a lack of skill. Even though Plumlee has some skill, he still doesn't have enough to justify going in the first round.
Aced: Oklahoma City Thunder, Perry Jones (No. 28)
A knee injury knocked Perry Jones III down the draft boards, but his free fall ended with the Oklahoma City Thunder.
The team that lost in the NBA Finals isn't supposed to be able to get a top-10 talent with the No. 28 pick, especially when they don't have to make a single move to do so.
If he's healthy and motivated, PJ3 has the potential to become one of the best players in this entire draft class. He can score on the post or move out to the perimeter, all while playing good defense.
PJ3 just adds to the youth and athleticism of this very dangerous team. He and Kevin Durant are just walking mismatches.
Magic is the only way Sam Presti could pull this off, and I'm not talking about the team from Orlando.
