2012 NBA Draft Winners and Losers

Harrison Barnes could be the potential star of what is a solid draft class for the Golden State Warriors. (Elsa/Getty Images)

Draft Winners


1. Golden State Warriors
The Warriors couldn't have been happier to have Harrison Barnes fall in their lap. Many experts love to bash him for his struggles in the NCAA tournament after point guard Kendall Marshall got hurt. However, I believe his rare athleticism, pure shooting, and solid defending make him a potential All-Star. He fits a need for the Warriors and will slide in their starting lineup at small forward alongside Steph Curry, Klay Thompson, David Lee, and Andrew Bogut. Then, later on the Warriors got Festus Ezeli and Draymond Green. Ezeli is a big man full of raw talent. He will slot in well behind Bogut. Green provides good awareness and athleticism at either forward position. With the move to San Francisco under way, the Warriors are a franchise headed in a promising direction.

2. Houston Rockets
Everyone knows about the Rockets attempts to land Dwight Howard. They might not have been able to pull it off on draft night, however, I believe they did very well with the draft picks they used. With the 12th overall pick, they got Jeremy Lamb, who wasn't expected to fall out of the top ten. Lamb is a great shooter and has solid athleticism. While he doesn't have that killer instinct, he has the talent to become an excellent role player. At #16, the Rockets picked one of the most interesting talents in the draft, Royce White. While he doesn't really have a true position, his offensive awareness and hard working attitude make him a special talent. With 18th overall pick, the Rockets added Terrence Jones. While most Kentucky draftees are overrated in my opinion, Jones might be the exception. His ability to shoot and attack the basket make for a great value pick. The Rockets are stock loaded with talent. They definitely now have the depth to trade for Dwight Howard or another star player who's available.

3. Detroit Pistons
The Pistons were another beneficiary of a player falling in their lap. Their man is seven-footer Andre Drummond. Drummond didn't have as good of a freshman year as many expected, but all of the talent is still there. I believe he can learn a lot from Greg Monroe, who has developed into a double-double machine for the Pistons in the post. If Drummond and Monroe click well together, the NBA better watch out. In the second round, the Pistons added two athletic wings in Khris Middleton and Kim English. Middleton's draft stock took a drop this past season due to decreased production. If he is able to regain his form, he has the ability to be a solid complimentary player. English is a great defender and pure shooter. Both Middleton and English should slot well beside Brandon Knight in a rebuilding Pistons team.

Draft Losers


1. Cleveland Cavaliers
After failing to trade up to the #2 overall spot in the draft, the Cavaliers shocked everyone with their selection at #4 overall spot. They selected Dion Waiters to be the backcourt partner to Kyrie Irving. From a logistical standpoint that makes sense, but Waiters had many question marks in the eyes of draft experts. His lack of size and defensive ineptness were two of the biggest concerns. Even if the Cavaliers believed Waiters was their man, they should have traded down to take him later and acquire draft picks in addition. The Cavaliers then traded their three other picks to the Dallas Mavericks for Tyler Zeller. Zeller certainly has potential, but he better develop into a special player, if you are going to give up three picks for him. The Cavaliers' draft day moves were puzzling from top to bottom.

2. Toronto Raptors
The Raptors were looking for a guard and selected Terrence Ross at #8 overall. With the likes of Jeremy Lamb, Austin Rivers, and others still on the board, the pick was rather surprising. While Ross does have excellent athleticism and potential, perhaps the wiser move would have been to try and trade down to get Ross later and additional picks. The Raptors added Quincy Acy and Tomislav Zubcic in the second round. Both guys are athletic and have definite potential. Not a terrible draft for the Raptors, I just don't think Ross should have been a top ten pick.

3. Boston Celtics
One of the biggest lessons we learned about the Celtics from this past postseason is that they don't have the athleticism and seed to compete with the NBA's best young teams. With the 21st and 22nd overall picks in the draft, the Celtics were in a position to dismiss that need. Unfortunately, I believe they missed the boat entirely. First, the Celtics picked Jared Sullinger. Sullinger is undersized and his back problems were a red flag everyone knew about. Second, they took Fab Melo. With a history of off the court issues and a lack of athleticism, Melo does not seem like a good fit for the Celtics. Neither player supplies the real need of the Celtics, and both players have been considered among the most likely draft busts. This draft appears to be a missed opportunity for the Celtics.