With the draft lottery not yet finished, we still don't know where every team will be picking in the 2012 NBA draft. But before the lotto takes place on Wednesday night, there's still time for a mock draft or two!
The Cleveland Cavaliers could very well get the first overall pick with the third most combos in the draft lottery, but in DraftExpress' latest 2012 NBA mock draft they're picking third along with holding the 24th overall pick that they got from the Lakers in the Ramon Sessions trade.
At third overall, the mock draft gives the Cavaliers Bradley Beal out of Florida, a popular pick for them in mock drafts recently. DraftExpress isn't incredibly high on him in their scouting report, mostly due to a somewhat disappointing freshman year at Florida before coming out to the draft. Still, he has elite talent which is why he's projected so high:
Nevertheless, Beal's draft stock has remained steady all season, as he occasionally shows flashes of being able to make plays that only elite level talents can, but just not consistently yet.
Standing somewhere between 6-4 and 6-5, Beal has decent size for a NBA shooting guard, to go along with a solid frame and average length. While not possessing rim-rocking explosiveness, he's an extremely smooth and fluid athlete with excellent mobility.
At 24th overall, the mock draft has Cleveland taking Mississippi State's Arnett Moultrie. The 6'11'' C/PF gets a lot of good press from DX's scouting report, which has pushed him into first round draft pick territory:
On the offensive end, Moultrie is clearly at his best when he can utilize his excellent tools off the ball, attacking the basket on cuts and offensive rebounds. His length and leaping ability make him an alley-oop machine in the halfcourt, frequently getting open around the rim and throwing down any pass that comes his way. On more contested opportunities, Moultrie is a strong finisher around the rim, usually relying on finesse a little more than he probably should, but showing good touch and ability to use his length to get shots off.
Moultrie is equally dangerous finishing on put-back opportunities, where he shows good pursuit and much more of a mean streak than in other areas of his game. He pulls in an excellent 5.2 offensive rebounds per 40 minutes and is a great finisher in these situations when he goes right back up.
Of course, it will all be a moot point if the Cavaliers can get that No. 1 pick and snag Anthony Davis out of Kentucky. Either way, there are going to be plenty of talented names that the Cavs can add to their roster with their two first rounders.
For more on the Cleveland Cavaliers, head over to Fear The Sword. More news and analysis on the NBA as the draft approaches can be found at SB Nation's NBA hub.