NBA Mock Draft: Pre-Lottery Version

The NBA Draft Lottery is tomorrow and after that we will have a set in stone look at what the draft order will be. Right now, predicting the draft beyond the first pick is like trying to figure out the plot of The Dark Knight Rises or P.T. Anderson’s new flick The Master. But what we can do is get as close as we can before we are handed an actual script for the draft and order sets in.

The NBA Draft is under a month away and we will find out the official draft order after Wednesday's lottery.

Because the actual order of the draft won’t be known until the lottery on Wednesday, we can’t really give accurate analysis of the pick. Even beyond the lottery things aren’t clear as what happens in the lottery has a ripple effect. But visit the Big Board for that and stay tuned to updated versions of the mock draft as we approach the 2012 NBA Draft.

Before we start here’s an interesting note to ponder: the Bulls actually own the Bobcats first round pick in 2012, but it’s a lottery protected pick which means if it falls where it is right now it still belongs to Charlotte. The Bulls can watch how well the Bobcats do in 2013 as if the Bobcats finish with the 13th pick or lower, it belongs to Chicago. In 2014 if the Bobcats finish with the 11th pick or lower it’s Chicago’s and in 2015 the Bobcats must own the 7th pick or higher to keep their first round draft pick. In 2016 if the Bobcats finish with the No. 1 overall pick it belongs to the Bulls as it’s unprotected in 2016.

Alright, Mock Draft time!

* – Pick belongs to Utah Jazz of it falls out of the Top 7

** – Pick via Minnesota Timberwolves (Chris Paul Trade)

*** – Pick Via Utah Jazz (Al Jefferson Trade)

**** – Pick via Los Angeles Lakers (Ramon Sessions Trade)

t – Pick via San Antonio Spurs (Stephen Jackson Trade)

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