NBA Draft 2012 Grades: Teams That Aced 1st-Round Picks

We won't really know who the winners and losers of Thursday's NBA draft were for some time.

For a lot of these guys, it will take several years at minimum for their respective clubs to really know what kind of players they have on their hands.

If making the right decision were any more scientific than that, teams wouldn't have to invest a treasure chest of resources to scout, work out and otherwise evaluate every imaginable aspect of these prospects.

But, for all the uncertainty that surrounds the picks at the moment, we can still begin to make some assessments.

We'll skip New Orleans' sure-thing selection of Anthony Davis—who didn't see that coming? Here are the rest of the teams that hit home runs with their first-round decisions.

Charlotte Bobcats: Michael Kidd-Gilchrist, SG (Kentucky) at No. 2

This may seem like an obvious pick to make, but it would have been entirely conceivable for the Bobcats to pass up MKG on account of his still-undeveloped perimeter shot.

It's a good thing they didn't, though.

Kidd-Gilchrist is an exceptional all-around player who will excel in the open court and immediately upgrade Charlotte's perimeter defense. More importantly, he's an ideal fit for a team whose locker-room culture needs an overhaul.

Washington Wizards: Bradley Beal, SG (Florida) at No. 3

Again, this pick was something of a no-brainer—at least, you'd like to think so.

The Wizards deserve credit for not trying to get too fancy. The Cleveland Cavaliers should probably have followed suit.

Beal will pair with point guard John Wall to form a dangerous backcourt with the potential to put up a lot of points. After Washington upgraded its frontcourt with Nene, Emeka Okafor and Trevor Ariza, adding a scorer to the backcourt had to be the priority.

Washington certainly got the job done by taking Beal. 

Sacramento Kings: Thomas Robinson, PF (Kansas) at No. 5

Robinson may not be the best fit for the Kings, but he was certainly the best available player. It's hard to imagine how he'll fit alongside DeMarcus Cousins. Both will look for their offense, and neither is an especially imposing interior defender.

That's not especially encouraging, given how atrocious this team's defense was last season.

Still, having a future star like Robinson gives the team some flexibility. Cousins has trade value, and if the pairing doesn't work out, it shouldn't be too hard to put together a rotation that will.

Detroit Pistons: Andre Drummond, C (UConn) at No. 9

Sure, the Pistons sort of got lucky here—but at least they didn't mess it up.

Drummond could have easily gone in the top five or six picks based on sheer upside alone. His inconsistency apparently scared some teams off, but Detroit couldn't afford to be too picky.

The 6'11" beast is the perfect complement to the far less athletic Greg Monroe. Meanwhile, Monroe's skill and ability to hit the mid-range shot will free Drummond to do what he does best for now: exploit his explosiveness around the rim on both ends of the floor.

Houston Rockets: Jeremy Lamb, SG (UConn); Royce White, F (Iowa State); Terrence Jones, F (Kentucky) at Nos. 12, 16 and 18

The Rockets made smart picks across the board.

Lamb would be a perfect replacement for Kevin Martin should the shooter be moved, while White and Jones would create one of the most versatile front lines in the league if they learn how to play together.

Both White and Jones are exceptionally good passers for forwards who can also rebound and play in the paint.

There's no telling whether the Rockets will wind up keeping all these guys.

Oklahoma City Thunder: Perry Jones III, PF (Baylor) at No. 28

Jones slipped primarily due to concerns about his knee's long-term health, but he's an absolute steal this late in the first round. 

Based on talent and physical tools alone, Jones should have been a lock to go in the lottery.

There's certainly a risk he'll flop at the pro level, but that's a risk OKC can afford to take given the stockpile of talent it already has in the rotation. The real perk here is that the Miami Heat could have take Jones and didn't.

If the two clubs find themselves battling in the NBA Finals again, you can bet there will be one rookie with something to prove.