Mock Draft 2012
After this year’s Draft Lottery, all Charlotte Bobcat fans worldwide, all ten of them, hung their head in collective disappointment. Bobcats GM Rich Cho embarked on one of the most ambitious tanking jobs ever, en route to a 7-59 record and the worst winning percentage in NBA history. But all of the Bobcats efforts to get the number one overall pick and draft franchise player Anthony Davis were in vain, as the New Orleans Hornets jumped five spots to get the first pick and the Unibrowed Wonder Kid. Although this draft lottery was devastating to Bobcat fans, it allows the rest of us to get a better picture of how the draft will play out based on individual team needs.
Click the Jump for the mock draft.
1. New Orleans Hornets: Anthony Davis
NBA Comparison: Kevin Garnett
The fact that the previously David Stern owned Hornets were able to improbably get the first overall pick leaves many fans calling foul, but Hornets fans must be rejoicing. Anthony Davis is a total no-brainer and by far the most talented and highest potential player of this draft or any draft within the last couple years. He is already an elite shot blocker, swatting a NCAA best 4.7 shots while only fouling 2 times per game. He is extremely long and has good size for his position as well as great defensive awareness. Amazingly, he also has good ball handling and good shot mechanics, due to the fact that he used to play point guard in high school before a sudden growth spurt. He will need to work on his strength, but with this pick (as well as another lottery pick), the Hornets have automatically given themselves one of the brightest futures in the NBA. Look for Davis to pair with talented guard Eric Gordon to wreak havoc in a couple years.
2. Charlotte Bobcats: Michael Kidd-Gilchrist
NBA Comparison: Gerald Wallace
The Bobcats got straight up shafted. They went from having a franchise player to drafting one of several good, but not transcendentally great players. With this pick, the Bobcats should fill their small forward spot, as they already have a decent young core with players at every other position. (Kemba, Gerald Henderson, Biyombo, Mullens) This pick not only brings an overall talented basketball player who does everything well, it also has the potential to change the entire dynamic of the organization. Kidd-Gilchrist is renowned for not having a specific stand out skill on the court, but what defines him is that he is a winner. He is not afraid to hustle and chase loose balls and does what he can to come out with a W. He may not have Hall of Fame potential, but this pick is the right character choice towards a better future and a change of culture for Charlotte, who may end up with a potential All-Star.
3. Washington Wizards: Bradley Beal
NBA Comparison: Eric Gordon
Washington finds itself in the lottery yet again for the fourth year in a row, a necessary part of Ted Leonsis’ 10 Point Plan to turn the Wizards into a contender. Even with MKG and Davis off the board, there is still a considerable amount of talent in this draft. Logically next in the Big Board is Thomas Robinson, who had an incredible season in the wake of the Morris twins’ departure and led Kansas to the National Championship. However, this is a poor fit for the Wizards, who already have (relative) talent in its front court. With young players like Kevin Seraphin, 2011 6th pick Jan Vesely, and Trevor Booker emerging this season, as well as the trade for Nene, the Wizards already are more or less set in their front court. What they have to solidify is their back court and find a good match for John Wall. Jordan Crawford has established himself as a capable scorer, but more like Nick Young 2.0, with his inclination to hold onto the ball and his poor shot selection. Beal should replace Crawford and relegate him to a sixth man role, a Microwave player like Vinnie Johnson. Over time, Beal would be a perfect target on the perimeter for John Wall to kick out to, as his shooting touch is compared to Ray Allen. Beal had a relatively statistically poor season, as he was put onto a team with shot happy guards Erving Walker and Kenny Boyton. Beal is a similar player to Eric Gordon, who also had a poor showing in college, but was talented and is now one of the best shooting guards in the League.
4. Cleveland Cavaliers: Harrison Barnes
NBA Comparison: Glen Rice
After getting two top 5 picks in the draft last year, Cleveland has a great scorer and point guard for the future in Kyrie Irving as well as a solid power forward for the future in Tristan Thompson. Again, after committing to Tristan Thompson with the fourth pick last year, it is improbable that the Cavs would stack their front court with forwards. Neither do they need a ball dominant play maker, as it would be redundant because they have Kyrie Irving. What they need is a high level complementary player. Harrison Barnes was projected as the consensus 1 pick at the beginning of the 2010-2011 college season. While his weaknesses have been revealed with time and his stock has dropped as a more talented class emerged, Barnes is still extremely valuable as a elite shooter off the catch and a deadly complementary scorer. Barnes cannot create shots for himself off the dribble but can still emerge as a more athletic version of Glen Rice, a three-time All Star that averaged 18.3 points per game for his career.
5. Sacramento Kings: Thomas Robinson
NBA Comparison: More Athletic Paul Millsap
With the fifth pick, the Kings are elated to pick Thomas Robinson, who could have gone as high as 2. Robinson was a terrific rebounder on the collegiate level and as we have seen (Kenneth Faried, Paul Millsap) this skill translates perfectly to the next level. Robinson took great strides in his game and emerged this year, leading Kansas to the championship game against Kentucky. Robinson is aggressive on the boards and on offense and also has tremendous athleticism and a great motor. A pretty safe pick with low bust potential.
6. Portland Trailblazers: Andre Drummond
NBA Comparison: Amar’e Stoudemire
Every other team has avoided Drummond until now. No GM wants to face the risk of drafting the next Kwame Brown, instead opting for safer picks with lower bust potential. Drummond will either become a dominant player in this league or he will become a complete bust. As mentioned almost everywhere else, Drummond has tantalizing physical tools. He stands 6’11”, jumps out of the gym, and reportedly is the fastest sprinter on his UConn team… People… You can’t make 2K players that cheap without modding the game… Drummond also is a very capable passer and is very strong as compared to other rail thin prospects like Davis and John Henson. But after a much anticipated freshman year, Drummond disappointed; only averaging 10 and 7. This lack of dominance is troubling from a player with such tremendous physical attributes and makes one question his work ethic. If Drummond is drafted, he will need time to develop, as he is currently very raw at this stage. Luckily, the Trailblazers are starting a rebuilding process, which hopefully should accommodate him. However, the talent and potential is simply too great to pass on. If Drummond gets it together, he can be one of the top centers in the League in no time.
7. Golden State Warriors: Perry Jones
NBA Comparison: Anthony Randolph
The Warriors need a small forward with this pick and have been known to take risks high in the lottery. That being said, Jones has performed exceedingly well in workouts thus far and has had scouts raving about his potential. Looking at pure physical tools and skillset, Jones is an absolute monster. He is 6’11”, athletic and can handle and shoot the ball. The thing that holds him back is his lack of apparent motor. Scouts question whether he has the drive to achieve his full potential. Needless to say, if Jones can get motivated and work hard, he will be a top player in the League in a matter of years.
8. Toronto Raptors: Jeremy Lamb
Lamb gives Toronto an athletic wing who can score from the perimeter and also brings back memories of Vince Carter with his high flying dunks. Lamb was overshadowed by Kemba last year, but emerged this year, averaging 17.7 points. This pick allows the Raptors to move Derozan down to small forward and also grabs the best player on the board. While Lamb may not be a star immediately, his length and athleticism coupled with his ability to score gives him a very bright future.
9. Detroit Pistons: John Henson
NBA Comparison: Samuel Dalembert
Henson has great length and shot blocking potential and can cover for Greg Monroe’s defensive short comings. While he may not ever be as defensively dominant as Big Ben, a Piston great, he can still be a great NBA player in the future, with his length and athleticism.
10. New Orleans Hornets: Kendall Marshall
NBA Comparison: Mark Jackson
With two lottery picks in this year’s draft, including the first overall, as well as multiple young players, the Hornets seem set for the future. With an elite perimeter scorer in Eric Gordon and an elite defensive power forward in Anthony Davis, the Hornets have both sides of the court covered. What they need now is someone who can take leadership of the team and facilitate and get others involved. Enter Kendall Marshall. Averaging 9.8 assists in 33.0 minutes, Marshall has emerged as one of the best college playmakers and pure passers in recent years. Although he is not hyper-athletic or a lights out shooter, Marshall has size (6’4″) to compensate. With this pick, the Hornets should solidify a great young core for years to come.
11. Portland Trailblazers: Damien Lillard
NBA Comparison: Jerryd Bayless
At this point, the Trailblazers are taking the best player available. Damien Lillard did not play at a major program like Kentucky or Duke, but still averaged 24.5 points a game along with about 5 rebounds and 5 assists. It is no secret that Lillard can light it up, but the bigger question is he can he be a pure point guard and make his teammates better. If not, Lillard will be basically Jerryd Bayless 2.0, who the Blazers drafted in 2007 and traded to the Hornets after only two years.
12.Milwaukee Bucks: Tyler Zeller
NBA Comparison: PJ Brown
Zeller may not be the most talented player at this pick, but this a pure positional need pick. After the Bucks traded Andrew Bogut, their starting center was none other than Kwame Brown. Brown’s ridiculous 6.8 million dollar contract is set to expire this year anyways, so the Bucks are in dire need of a center. While Zeller is physically weak and has lower potential than some of the other prospects in this draft, he is perhaps the most NBA ready and is also extremely nimble for his size.
13.Phoenix Suns: Austin Rivers
NBA Comparison: OJ Mayo
Rumors are swirling about Steve Nash’s potential departure after this year, therefore the Suns either need to pick an immediate successor to Nash or a potential protege to gain experience. Austin Rivers was one of the most highly touted recruits coming into the season, boasting elite quickness and the ability to create his own shot. However, in his short stint with Duke, his inability to play make for others was exposed and his stock has dropped, as questions arise about what position he can play in the NBA. Learning from Steve Nash would be the perfect experience for Rivers, as he would learn all the nuances of the point guard position and eventually combine Nash’s savvy with his physical tools. This is in an idealized world, but if Rivers doesn’t learn how to play create, the Suns still pick him because he’s the best player available. He is similar to OJ Mayo, who had incredible hype coming out of high school and was also an undersized 2 and good scorer. Mayo has not gotten any better since getting into the league. If Rivers is able to transition to point guard, he can avoid this.
14. Houston Rockets: Terrence Jones
NBA Comparison: Lamar Odom
Before Dictator Stern vetoed the trade, the Houston Rockets were poised to get Lamar Odom, a versatile forward who could handle the ball and play point. Now with this pick, the Rockets can get exactly what they wanted, in a younger package. Jones is extremely versatile, handles the ball well, and can rebound and block shots. Again, the only question is his motor and attitude. Jones was slated to go top-10 in last year’s draft, but sacrificed it and his stats to team up with Kentucky’s Super Six and win a National Championship. Good indicator of a winner
15. Philadelphia 76ers: Jared Sullinger
Sullinger would have went top 5 last year, but his lack of athleticism is even more exposed this year. Philadelphia steals Sullinger outside the lottery, even though he has limited potential.
16. Houston Rockets: Meyers Leonard
The Rockets grab Leonard, a legit 7’0″ center with quickness and athleticism. A long term project, but with good potential
17: Dallas Mavericks: Dion Waiters
Waiters reminds me of Dwayne Wade, an undersized but powerful shooting guard. Waiters’ stock rose in the tournament and should give the Mavs a scoring boost from the perimeter.
18: Minnesota Timberwolves: Terrence Ross
The Timberwolves grab another athletic wing to add to their stable. Ross, who could have gone as early as the late lottery, can jump out of the gym and create his own shot.
19: Orlando Magic: Moe Harkless
Harkless had a break out year and is very young. He possess prototypical small forward height and athleticism at 6’8″ and a great vertical jump. Harkless is still raw, but can potentially be one of the better players from this draft.
20: Denver Nuggets: Quincy Miller
Miller was extremely hyped coming out of high school, but an ACL tear robbed him of all explosiveness. He still possesses elite length and height for a small forward (6’10”) and has a sweet stroke.
21: Boston Celtics: Evan Fournier
Fournier is a 19 year old 6’7″ SF/SG out of France that seems to have a lot of potential. Honestly, I can’t really say much about him because its hard to tell how good European players without seeing extensive game film, but he seems to be quite the clutch player and should be a decent replacement once the Big 3 disbands.
22: Boston Celtics: Andrew Nicholson
Nicholson came out late as a senior, but still has plenty of upside left. He is a capable scorer in the post, averaging 19 points per game and will help transition past the Big 3 era.
23: Atlanta Hawks: Fab Melo
The Hawks draft a defensive minded big with legit size to shift Horford back to his natural power forward position. Melo will never be a great player, but he can be a serviceable one dimensional center.
24: Cleveland Cavaliers: Doron Lamb
Lamb was overshadowed by his star teammates at Kentucky, but is a fine player in his own right. In fact, it was Lamb who led the team in scoring with 22 in the National Championship game. Lamb is a great shooter with good role player potential.
25: Memphis Grizzlies: Marquis Teague
Teague started off the year slowly, but improved his stock with a great showing in the NCAA tournament. Teague is picked to backup Mike Conley and provide some insurance.
26: Indiana Pacers: Royce White
White is not only a great rebounder and decent scorer, he also can handle and play make for others at 6’8″ and 270 lbs, he is agile and a great passer. The only thing that brings him down from the lottery is his anxiety issues. He is unable to go in an airplane without getting an anxiety attack and actually drove to every game in college. If he is able to overcome this, he will be a beast, but if he isn’t, his team will just have to settle for 41 games every season.
26. Miami Heat: Tony Wroten
Wroten has tremendous physical tools, but has poor decision making and play making skills. He is huge for a point guard at 6’5″ and also has incredible strength and hops. Mini-LeBron, meet LeBron James.
28: Oklahoma City Thunder: John Jenkins
Jenkins was the best shooter in college basketball and provides another three point threat for OKC
29: Chicago Bulls: Jeff Taylor
Taylor is extremely athletic and improved every year at Vanderbilt. He was an great defender in college and should be a good fit in Thib’s defensive system
30: Golden State Warriors: Draymond Green
Green was a triple double machine in college, but gives up height in the NBA at only 6’7″. He might switch to a SF in the NBA, but still will be able to contribute in every area.
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