NBA Draft Lottery 2012: Results
By Zak Kolesar
Cleveland Cavalier fans should not be too disappointed with where they fell in the 2012 NBA Draft Lottery. Projected to pick third the Cavaliers fell one spot below and grabbed the fourth overall pick in the 2012 NBA Draft.
In regard to the lottery odds, the draft order followed suit up until the Cavaliers were selected to pick fourth. The Washington Wizards, who were projected to land the second pick, ended up with the third pick and the woeful Charlotte Bobcats, who were in desperate need of the No. 1 pick and Anthony Davis, ended up taking the consolation prize with second place.
That means that the New Orleans Hornets, who had their star point guard Chris Paul torn away from them this past offseason, took home the first pick in this upcoming draft and will most likely select Davis. Davis, who is said to be one of the most talented “big men” according to some basketball gurus, has an incredible wingspan of 7’4″ and averaged 4.7 blocks.
Regarding the Cavaliers, I don’t think that them landing the fourth pick is a huge disappointment for the team. This year’s draft has a much deeper talent pool compared to the 2011 draft class, so there are a lot of options of whom Cleveland will pick when it comes time. The only thing that is basically set in stone already is that Davis will be donning a New Orleans jersey.
That leaves players such as Kyrie Irving’s old high school teammate Michael Kidd-Gilchrist, the hard-working Bradley Beal and big boys Thomas Robinson, Andre Drummond and Perry Jones III as options for the Cavaliers. Since there is a potpourri of players who could be selected with picks two and three, it’s hard to give a definite answer on who I think the Cavaliers will end up with.
I’ve liked everything I’ve heard about Beal through scouting reports, including teams during the NCAA Tournament giving him much-deserved praise and comparisons between him and Ray Allen, the all-time leader in three-point shots made. Kidd-Gilchrist has been working out near Cleveland during his downtime before the draft, so it’s not a secret that those within the Cavaliers organization have gotten extra looks at the Kentucky star.
In addition to their No. 4 pick the Cavaliers also have another pick in the first round (No. 24) from the Los Angeles Lakers and two more picks in the second round. Well then, without further adieu I give you the complete 2012 NBA Draft order:
Round 1
1. New Orleans Hornets
2. Charlotte Bobcats
3. Washington Wizards
4. Cleveland Cavaliers
5. Sacramento Kings
6. Portland Trail Blazers (from Brooklyn Nets)
7. Golden State Warriors
8. Toronto Raptors
9. Detroit Pistons
10. New Orleans (from Minnesota Timberwolves via Los Angeles Clippers)
11. Portland Trail Blazers
12. Milwaukee Bucks
13. Phoenix Suns
14. Houston Rockets
15. Philadelphia 76ers
16. Houston Rockets (from New York Knicks)
17. Dallas Mavericks
18. Minnesota Timberwolves (from Utah Jazz)
19. Orlando Magic
20. Denver Nuggets
21. Boston Celtics
22. Boston Celtics (from Los Angeles Clippers via Oklahoma City Thunder)
23. Atlanta Hawks
24. Cleveland Cavaliers (from Los Angeles Lakers)
25. Memphis Grizzlies
26. Indiana Pacers
27. Miami Heat
28. Oklahoma City Thunder
29. Chicago Bulls
30. Golden State Warriors (from San Antonio Spurs)
Round 2
31. Charlotte Bobcats
32. Washington Wizards
33. Cleveland Cavaliers
34. Cleveland Cavaliers (from New Orleans via Miami Heat)
35. Golden State Warriors (from Brooklyn Nets)
36. Sacramento Kings
37. Toronto Raptors
38. Denver Nuggets (from Golden State Warriors via New York Knicks)
39. Detroit Pistons
40. Portland Trail Blazers (from Minnesota Timberwolves via Houston Rockets)
41. Portland Trail Blazers
42. Milwaukee Bucks
43. Atlanta Hawks (from Phoenix Suns)
44. Detroit Pistons (from Houston Rockets)
45. Philadelphia 76ers
46. Washington Wizards (from Dallas Mavericks)
47. Utah Jazz
48. New York Knicks
49. Orlando Magic
50. Denver Nuggets
51. Boston Celtics
52. Golden State Warriors (from Atlanta Hawks)
53. Los Angeles Clippers
54. Philadelphia 76ers (from Memphis Grizzlies)
55. Dallas Mavericks (from Los Angeles Lakers)
56. Toronto Raptors (from Indiana Pacers)
57. Brooklyn Nets (from Miami Heat)
58. Minnesota Timberwolves (from Oklahoma City Thunder)
59. San Antonio Spurs
60. Los Angeles Lakers (from Chicago Bulls via Milwaukee Bucks and Brooklyn Nets) or Brooklyn Nets (from Chicago Bulls via Milwaukee Bucks)