2012 NBA Mock Draft: Final Edition
By Staff
21. New Orleans Hornets (from BOS) – PF Royce White, Iowa State
swarmandsting.com
After trading the 10th overall pick to the Boston Celtics for the 21st and 22nd overall picks it would be best to pick the best available players that fill some need. Royce White is by far the best player left on the board at this point and is so versatile he could play many roles on this team. He is a big body who can take a lot of low post pressure off Anthony Davis, and he could do this while playing small forward. At the same time White could also drop 5-10 assist per game, depending on how many times the ball is in his hands. Royce White and Anthony Davis would be a force together; teams would have problems matching up with them. White is so big that it would take a Power Forward to guard him in the post, but quick enough to easily get by most on the perimeter.
22. New Orleans Hornets (from BOS) – PG Tony Wroten, Jr., Washington
Wroten, Jr. has a lot of talent and we need a good point guard. He has instincts you don’t find every day as a passer and should make a good team with Anthony Davis.
23. Atlanta Hawks – SF Quincy Miller, Baylor
Miller is sort of a reach here but we believe he has the talent to be a star in this league down the road. This pick is based on talent alone and Miller has a ton.
24. Cleveland Cavaliers – PF Andrew Nicholson, St. Bonaventure
rightdowneuclid.com
Antawn Jamison’s two-and-a-half years of being the Cleveland Cavaliers starting power forward is over. Now someone else is going to have to step in. Nicholson said it himself, that he is one of the best shooting big men in the draft. Jamison was the leading scorer for the Cavaliers last year, so Cleveland is going to have to be able to draft a player who will put points on the board. He scored 30 or more points three times in the last nine games, proving to scouts that he has the ability to take over a game. In those three games he shot 80.0 percent, 71.4 percent and 60.0 percent respectively, taking a total of 49 shots. This is the perfect player to replace Jamison.
25. Memphis Grizzlies – PG Marquis Teague, Kentucky
Point guard is a need for the Grizzlies and Teague is a talented one. He was one of the top players in his high school class but got lost in the shuffle a little but playing at Kentucky. He has a lot of potential to be a quality point in this league.
26. Indiana Pacers – C Fab Melo, Syracuse
alwaysmillertime.com
I liked the idea of a backup center to Roy Hibbert as long as the Pacers resign Hibbert. This is a guy who’s young, but definitely has the talent to play. I love the idea that he’s a shot blocker, and hope that can carry over to the NBA game.
27. Miami Heat – SG Evan Fournier, France
allucanheat.com
No secret what we are doing here. At this point in the draft there’s not a lot that would help the Heat immediately. This pick is to store a player overseas for a few seasons and maybe he develops into something nice.
28. Oklahoma City Thunder – SF Draymond Green, Michigan State
There are a few players at this point in the draft that we can’t pass on. Green is one of them. He is a player we didn’t have last year and could really help the team immediately.
29. Chicago Bulls – SG Doron Lamb, Kentucky
Lamb is a confident, very good shooter that will work well with Rose. He can defend and has a lot of talent too. This wasn’t a hard decision.
30. Golden State Warriors – PF Kyle O’Quinn, Norfolk State
This is the sleeper pick with the last selection of the first round. O’Quinn was part of a great season with Norfolk State last year and will fit in well with our future.