SB Nation Cleveland - NBA 2012 Mock Draft: Cavs Go With Kentucky's Michael Kidd-Gilchrist, Says DraftExpress

NBA Lottery Outcomes And The Effect On Top Prospects

2012-05-29T15:21:53Z

SB Nation's Tom Ziller has an insightful look at how tomorrow night's lottery will affect the the top prospects in this year's NBA Draft. The Cavaliers currently hold the third-best lottery odds, and can do no worse that the No. 6 pick. Most scouts seem to put six prospects ahead of the rest, with a couple tiers inside of those top six. Anthony Davis is all alone as the consensus No. 1 overall pick, and Michael Kidd-Gilchrist and Bradley Beal are generally considered the other two who round out the top three. But Connecticut's Andre Drummond is an intriguing prospect, a mix of baggage and incredible natural gifts which may propel him into the top three. Ziller thinks Drummond is one of the top seven prospects who could fit with the Cavaliers, and he would benefit from their lottery success. A highlight after the jump:

An elite physical specimen who makes Michael Beasley look stable. The best player in the draft for whom psychological consultants will be brought in. The Kwame Brown comparisons have already begun!

PLUS: Bobcats (they are desperate!), Cavaliers (bet on Kyrie Irving's positive aura), Hornets (desperate), Kings (Drummond-DeMarcus Cousins! oh my God I don't even know what to think about that), Pistons, Blazers (the goody two-shoes era didn't pan out), Bucks, Rockets.

Read Ziller's full breakdown of the top six (non-Anthony Davis division) prospects, including the likelihood of the Cavs targeting each.

For more on the Cavaliers and the 2012 NBA Draft, visit Fear The Sword. For all your lottery and draft news, check out SB Nation's NBA hub.

NBA 2012 Mock Draft: DraftExpress Has Cavs Taking Kentucky's Michael Kidd-Gilchrist

2012-05-17T13:09:50Z

Mock drafts in the NBA not only guess the order in which players will be selected -- à la the NFL -- but also the order in which teams will select.

As such, this isn't science.

But even if things are fluid, and will remain fluid until the NBA Draft Lottery is finalized on May 30, mock drafts are finding their way to the Web. And it can't hurt to look, right?

The most recent mock draft from DraftExrpess has the Cleveland Cavaliers taking 6-7 forward Michael Kidd-Gilchrist from Kentucky.

Kidd-Gilchrist, who started all but one game as a freshman last season, averaged 11.9 points and 7.4 rebounds for the national champion Wildcats. He shot 49.9 percent from the floor, and while he definitely "has a motor," the 18-year-old could certainly use some polish. He hit just 25.5 of his three-pointers and averaged more turnovers (2.2) than assists (1.9).

The New Jersey native had 11 points and six rebounds against Kansas in the national title game.

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NBA 2012 Mock Draft: SB Nation Mock Gives Bradley Beal To Cavaliers

2012-05-07T15:35:41Z

The mock drafting has started for the NBA with the lottery picks almost ready to go. The Cleveland Cavaliers seem to have a theme going in most mock drafts, and the SB Nation 2012 NBA Mock Draft continues the meme of Florida's Bradley Beal going to the Cavs at third overall.

Rolls Royce Backourt II. Kyrie Irving and Beal will be unstoppable, like Gilbert Arenas and Larry Hughes (uh) or Tyreke Evans and Kevin Martin (uhh) or Monta Ellis and Stephen Curry (uhhhhhhhhhh).

I sense a bit of snark here from Mr. Ziller. Beal would add yet another super talent to the young core of Kyrie Irving and Tristan Thompson that the Cavs have put together.

This is, of course, subject to change depending on how the lottery balls roll on May 30. If Cleveland manage to get the No. 1 pick though, it'll just get a bit boring watching them select Anthony Davis in every single mock draft for the next several months. It's like Andrew Luck to the Colts all over again in Basketball form!

For more on the Cleveland Cavaliers, check out Fear The Sword. More news and analysis on the NBA can be found at SB Nation's dedicated NBA hub.