It's time for our first mock draft of 2011.
Although very little is set in stone at this point -- the draft order will change, players' stocks will change and we won't know which underclassmen have officially declared for the draft until the April 29 deadline -- we can focus on what each team would likely do with its pick.
(If you want to see what your team would do with the No. 1 pick, play our Lottery Mock Draft, which has more than 2,000 scenarios. Also check out our Top 100 list, which is a reflection of the consensus of NBA scouts and GMs about a player's relative draft value.)
Here's our first stab at the first round, after taking into account team needs.
PICK TEAM PLAYER VITALS
Charlotte
Anthony Davis
Position: PF
Height: 6-foot-10
Weight: 220 pounds
Age: 19
School: Kentucky
Analysis: If the Bobcats are lucky enough to win the lottery, they'll land the consensus No. 1 player in the draft -- Davis. Davis is already a nightmare on the defensive end and is an emerging force on the offensive side. Pair him together with Bismack Biyombo on the front line, and I'm not sure anyone will score in the paint against the Bobcats.
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Washington
Michael Kidd-Gilchrist
Position: SF
Height: 6-foot-7
Weight: 210 pounds
Age: 18
School: Kentucky
Analysis: The Wizards are desperately trying to change their culture, and landing Kidd-Gilchrist would be a major move in the right direction. He's not the most polished player in the draft, but few players work harder on either end of the floor. He cares more about winning than stats and would immediately add energy, toughness and heart to a team that urgently needs all three.
However, Kidd-Gilchrist told reporters near the end of the regular season that he'll return to Kentucky for another season. If that holds true and the Wizards can't get him, Thomas Robinson or Harrison Barnes are their next best options.
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New Orleans
Thomas Robinson
Position: PF
Height: 6-foot-9
Weight: 237 pounds
Age: 21
School: Kansas
Analysis: The Hornets have a tough call here. Andre Drummond has more upside and Perry Jones would be tempting. But if they're trying to build a team around winners, Robinson is the guy. He would bring toughness, physicality and energy to the paint for the Hornets.
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Portland (via Nets)
Bradley Beal
Position: SG
Height: 6-foot-5
Weight: 195 pounds
Age: 18
School: Florida
Analysis: The Blazers grabbed this pick from the Nets as part of the Gerald Wallace trade last week. The pick is top-three protected, so if the Nets keep losing, it will revert back to New Jersey. For now, this is the best-case scenario for the Blazers, who have a lot of needs after blowing the team up. And shooting guard is a big one.
Beal hasn't had a domiant freshman season, but his scoring ability in the backcourt would help the Blazers get over the loss of Brandon Roy a little sooner.
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Toronto
Harrison Barnes
Position: SF
Height: 6-foot-8
Weight: 210 pounds
Age: 19
School: North Carolina
Analysis: The Raptors have been looking for a legit small forward for several years and Barnes would be a perfect fit. While he hasn't had the elite season we expected (those early Kobe comparisons have totally faded), he's still a lethal shooter who could turn into a Danny Granger/Glen Rice sort of player down the road.
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Detroit
Andre Drummond
Position: C
Height: 6-foot-11
Weight: 275 pounds
Age: 18
School: UConn
Analysis: The Pistons are in desperate need of size and athleticism in the front court. While Drummond is a bit of a gamble, it's a risk worth taking at this point in the draft. He has all the physical tools to be a dominant big man in the pros. Although he was really inconsistent during his freshman season at UConn, with time and patience he could be the perfect complement to Greg Monroe on the front line.
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Sacramento
James Michael McAdoo
Position: PF
Height: 6-foot-9
Weight: 233 pounds
Age: 19
School: North Carolina
Analysis: McAdoo's appearance this high might raise some eyebrows since he's been a backup for most of the season and hasn't put up great numbers. But he's played very well ever since John Henson went down with a wrist injury. Plus, his upside is really high. On the Kings, DeMarcus Cousins, Tyreke Evans and Marcus Thornton take most of the shots, so they need a player like McAdoo who can make an impact without the ball.
If McAdoo doesn't declare for this year's draft, however, I wouldn't be shocked to see the Kings roll the dice with Baylor's Perry Jones.
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Cleveland
Cody Zeller
Position: C
Height: 6-foot-11
Weight: 210 pounds
Age: 19
School: Indiana
Analysis: The Cavs passed on drafting big man Jonas Valanciunas last year, so I don't think they'll pass on a big man again this year. They may have a greater need at the wing, but Zeller would give them a long-term answer at the 5.
One of the most efficient players in the country this season, Zeller has the quickness and skill level NBA teams like out of centers. The only caveat? Zeller, like Kidd-Gilchrist, is seriously considering returning to school for his sophomore season. If he does, expect the Cavs to go after a wing like Jeremy Lamb.
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Utah (via Warriors)
Damian Lillard
Position: PG
Height: 6-foot-2
Weight: 185 pounds
Age: 21
School: Weber State
Analysis: The Jazz have talented young players at every position except point guard. Enes Kanter is the center of the future, Derrick Favors is set to take over at power forward, Gordon Hayward is already doing his thing at small forward, and the team is high on Alec Burks at the 2.
Enter Lillard. While the Jazz won't just draft to fill a position, Lillard is as talented as anyone in this range. He's more of a scorer than a pure point guard, but his ability to hit jump shots and get his teammates involved will be alluring to the Jazz.
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Milwaukee
Perry Jones
Position: PF
Height: 6-foot-11
Weight: 235 pounds
Age: 20
School: Baylor
Analysis: The Bucks traded Andrew Bogut at the deadline for Monta Ellis. While Ellis will help with some of their scoring needs in the backcourt, the loss of Bogut creates some long-term problems up front. But with no elite center at this point in the draft, there's no exact fit here.
So I think the Bucks should do what they did with Brandon Jennings -- take the best talent available and hope they can bring out his potential.
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Portland
Tyler Zeller
Position: C
Height: 7-foot-0
Weight: 235 pounds
Age: 22
School: North Carolina
Analysis: If the Blazers can land Beal with their first pick, they would likely look to fill their holes at center or point guard. In a weak point guard draft, their two available options here would be Kendall Marshall and Tony Wroten Jr. While both have strengths, I think the Blazers would go big and take Zeller. He's not going to be a star, but he runs the floor like a guard and has gotten better every year.
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New Orleans (via Wolves)
Kendall Marshall
Position: PG
Height: 6-foot-4
Weight: 188 pounds
Age: 20
School: North Carolina
Analysis: The Hornets gave up the best point guard in the NBA when they traded Chris Paul to the Clippers. They aren't going to be able to replace him in this draft. But the consolation prize is Marshall -- the best pure point guard in the draft. He wouldn't be the dynamic scorer that Paul was in New Orleans, but he would make everyone around him better.
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Phoenix
Jared Sullinger
Position: PF
Height: 6-foot-9
Weight: 280 pounds
Age: 20
School: Ohio State
Analysis: Sullinger doesn't necessarily fill a need -- the Suns drafted Markieff Morris to play the 4 last year -- but he's the best player left on the board and the type of guy who could immediately give Phoenix a very different but dominant look in the paint.
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Utah
Jeremy Lamb
Position: SG
Height: 6-foot-5
Weight: 185 pounds
Age: 19
School: UConn
Analysis: Lamb has elite talent, but his laid-back demeanor has given some scouts pause. Higher in the draft, he's a bit of a risk. But down here he's a good bargain for the Jazz as they continue to rebuild their backcourt.
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Houston (via Knicks)
John Henson
Position: PF
Height: 6-foot-10
Weight: 210 pounds
Age: 21
School: North Carolina
Analysis: The Rockets lack long, athletic bigs, and Henson would give them a defensive presence who can guard both forward positions. He's still raw offensively, but he has a little Andrei Kirilenko in his game.