NBA Draft 2012 Grades: Full Marks for Each and Every Lottery Pick
Not every team with the best opportunity winds up making the best decision.
That's the stuff lottery busts are made of.
You can expect to see a few of those in this year's crop, but you can also expect to see some unquestionable All-Stars. Which ones are which isn't quite so clear yet. Other than Kentucky's Anthony Davis, Florida's Bradley Beal, and Kansas' Thomas Robinson there are some hit-or-miss selections in these first 14 picks.
Here's a look at how each lottery team faired.
1. New Orleans Hornets: Anthony Davis, PF/C (Kentucky)
There isn't much to say about this pick other than, "It's about time."
We all knew it was coming, and we all knew it was the right move. It may prove to have been a bit overhyped when all is said and done. For all he showed us at Kentucky, Davis is still a guy who relies heavily on his athletic ability, an asset that could begin to elude him in time either because of added muscle or sheer age.
But hey, that's a bit pessimistic.
Chances are Davis lives up to his billing as a game-changing defender at the very least.
Grade: A
2. Charlotte Bobcats: Michael Kidd-Gilchrist, SF (Kentucky)
Charlotte needed a small forward after parting ways with Corey Maggette, and frankly it needed one even when Maggette was still on board.
But, MKG isn't just any forward. He's an absolute workhorse who will be central to transforming this club both on and off the court.
For all the doubts about Kidd-Gilchrist's shooting ability, the reassuring thing about the guy is that he's found a way to be incredibly effective even without that consistent jumper. He'll defend, rebound, hustle to loose balls and create havoc in the open court.
New head coach Mike Dunlap now has the perfect piece for his defense-first version of the Bobcats.
Grade: A+
3. Washington Wizards: Bradley Beal, SG (Florida)
Beal is a perfect fit for a team that needed nothing more than a shooting guard who can actually shoot. The good news is that Beal can do a lot more than that.
He's like a version of Dion Waiters without the question marks, so it's no secret why he was so sought-after in this draft. He could just as easily have gone second-overall to the Bobcats, so Washington has to feel pretty good about giving John Wall a backcourt partner who can fill it up.
Grade: A
4. Cleveland Cavaliers: Dion Waiters, SG (Syracuse)
This might be a prophetic choice, but it could also be a huge mistake. We won't know until we see how Waiters develops his shooting stroke.
If he can add a dangerous perimeter shot to his lethal slashing game, he could be a star. Otherwise, he could be a solidly athletic scorer who loses effectiveness when he loses his quick first step. Outside of his scoring ability, Waiters doesn't stand out as a passer or rebounder.
He does have quick hands on defense, but it's still unclear how he'll match up against larger shooting guards on the perimeter.
If Waiters doesn't live up to his high ceiling, the Cavs may regret not taking Harrison Barnes or Thomas Robinson here. Both would have been sure things in comparison.
Grade: B
5. Sacramento Kings: Thomas Robinson, PF (Kansas)
The Kings lucked out here.
Robinson should have gone in the top-four picks, and he absolutely would have if the Bobcats hadn't taken Kidd-Gilchrist. It's still unclear how Robinson will mesh with DeMarcus Cousins. Both big men look for their offense, and neither makes a living blocking shots.
That being said, Robinson was easily the best value on the board. It would have been absurd to pass him up on account of chemistry concerns that may never materialize.
Grade: A+
6. Portland Trail Blazers: Damian Lillard, PG (Weber St.)
This could be the perfect pick for Portland. Lillard was almost certainly the best point guard in this draft. He has solid floor vision, but it's his quickness and scoring ability that set him apart from the pack.
The only question marks for Lillard are how he'll fair against big-league competition after going up against smaller programs at Weber St.
That doesn't mean he can't play. Everything he's done suggests quite the contrary.
It just means we can't be entirely sure this was a home-run pick until we see Lillard in action at the pro level.
Grade: B+
7. Golden State Warriors: Harrison Barnes, SF (North Carolina)
Barnes won't singlehandedly turn the Warriors around, but he'll be a good fit for a team that needs a small forward more than anything else at the moment.
It's a bit surprising that Barnes wasn't taken ahead of Dion Waiters, so Golden State arguably gets top-five value here. He'll help spread the floor, and he'll also contribute skilled defense.
There will be those who don't think Barnes will ever become an All-Star, but the Warriors don't necessarily need him to be one.
Grade: A-
8. Toronto Raptors: Terrence Ross, SG (Washington)
There's certainly a case to be made that Andre Drummond would have been a more exciting pick here, but Ross is a safe pick who will help Toronto immediately.
He's got ideal size for a shooting guard, and he's already a much better shooter than DeMar DeRozan. He'll also rebound, defend and play hard. Outside of some issues with decision-making—the kind of issues almost every college prospect has—there's really not much to dislike about Ross.
Had he fallen out of the lottery, Ross would have become a big-time steal. Toronto was wise to prevent that from happening.
Grade: A
9. Detroit Pistons: Andre Drummond, C (UConn)
The Pistons make an excellent pick here, but they more or less backed into it.
Drummond could and potentially should have gone much higher. Had the Portland Trail Blazers not had their hearts set on Damian Lillard, he probably would have been the sixth pick in the draft. The Warriors passed on account of having recently acquired Andrew Bogut, and the Raptors apparently felt like a swingman was a more pressing need.
The athletic big man will give the skilled Greg Monroe a counterpart who can play above the rim and has the potential to become dominant on both ends of the floor.
Grade: A
10. New Orleans Hornets: Austin Rivers, SG (Duke)
This isn't a bad decision in a vacuum. It just doesn't make that much sense for the Hornets.
Rivers is a scorer with the chance to become a pretty solid combo-guard. However, it's hard to see him becoming enough of a point guard to play alongside Eric Gordon. Maybe he'll prove his detractors wrong and surprise us with a measure of deference we didn't think him capable of.
Maybe he'll accept and settle into a sixth-man role that doesn't require a full array of floor general skills. Until any of those things pan out, though, this is a risky pick.
Grade: C+
11. Portland Trail Blazers: Meyers Leonard, C (Illinois)
This is the definition of a "reach." Yes, Portland needed a center, but Leonard still has a lot to prove. The Trail Blazers may have been better off taking the best available talent and finding another way to solve its need for a big man.
They also might have traded down in the first round, acquired additional assets and still had a shot at either Leonard or Tyler Zeller.
Grade: C
12. Houston Rockets: Jeremy Lamb, SG (UConn)
This is the pick Portland should have made at No. 11.
How valuable this selection is will ultimately depend on a number of variables. If Houston trades Kevin Martin, this is an excellent choice. If the Rockets instead use Lamb as trade bait for a proven veteran, that could turn into a pretty compelling move as well.
For now, it's just a very good move, though. Whether he emerges as the starting shooting guard this year or soon thereafter, Lamb could become a key piece for this increasingly young rotation.
Grade: B+ (for now)
13. Phoenix Suns: Kendall Marshall, PG (North Carolina)
You have to admire the Suns for taking a chance on a pick who wasn't one of the sexier lottery options.
Marshall will fit in with the Suns' open-floor approach, either serving as Steve Nash's immediate replacement or understudy depending on what the iconic veteran opts to do in free agency. By almost any estimate, Phoenix could probably have found better value with this draft position.
It might also have made sense for the team to go after a scorer given the club's relative lack thereof.
At the end of the day, though, this was a safe pick and there's something to be said for that.
Grade: B
14. Milwaukee Bucks: John Henson, PF (North Carolina)
This will be an especially prescient pick if the Bucks don't retain free-agent forward Ersan Ilyasova.
Even if they do, though, Henson will add a defensive presence Milwaukee currently lacks in the paint. Henson is a menace in the paint thanks to the long reach he exploits when rebounding and blocking shots.
Ilyasova was never much of a prime defender anyway, so Henson's addition will be welcomed regardless of what happens in the free-agent market.
Grade: B+
