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NBA Mock Draft 2012: Cleveland To Take Michael Kidd-Gilchrist, According To Chad Ford

The Cleveland Cavaliers will take former Kentucky Wildcat Michael Kidd-Gilchrist with the fourth pick in Thursday's NBA Draft, according to ESPN.com's Chad Ford (Insider).

Kidd-Gilchrist, a 6-foot-8 small forward, averaged 11.9 points and 7.4 rebounds in his one season at Kentucky.

According to Ford,

The Cavs need both a starting 2 and a starting 3. This is a toss-up between Kidd-Gilchrist and Barnes. If they choose MKG they get a hard-working winner who can grow with Kyrie Irving. They were teammates in high school and won a state championship together. While Kidd-Gilchrist still needs a lot of polish on his offensive game, his motor, toughness, defensive pedigree and willingness to work on his game make him a great pick for the Cavs.

Ford goes on to say that the Cavs would like to grab Florida's Bradley Beal at No. 2, but that would likely require the Cavs giving up their No. 24 pick, which might be too steep a price.

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Photographs by spatulated, Triple Tri, and chrischappelear used in background montage under Creative Commons. Thank you.