The NBA Draft is a little over a week away.  I always like to take a stab at predicting the first round.  Here is my mock draft based on teams needs, potential free agents and who a team might sign this offseason.

1. Hornets – Anthony Davis (Kentucky) – Davis is already an elite defender and his offensive game is improving.  He needs to put on more muscle but that will come. He is the perfect player for a rebuilding Hornets team who also picks 10th in the draft.

2. Bobcats – Michael Kidd-Gilchrist (Kentucky) – The Bobcats were really hoping to land the number 1 pick coming off of a season in which they only won 7 games.  They have to settle for the second pick and I think they will go with Kidd-Gilchrist.  He might not have the most upside of some of the other options, but I think he is a safe pick and will be productive for years to come.

3. Wizards – Bradley Beal (Florida) – The Wizards will be happy to select Beal here and pair him up with John Wall to secure their back court for the foreseeable future.  Beal is one of the best shooting prospects to come into the draft in some time and has drawn comparisons to Ray Allen.

4. Cavaliers – Andre Drummond (Connecticut) – Andre Drummond is a classic high risk high reward player.  Drummond arguably has as much upside as anyone in this draft but needs to put it all together at a more consistent rate.  At 6-foot-11 and 275 pounds Drummond has the makings of a legit NBA center.

5. Kings (from Bucks) – Thomas Robinson (Kansas) – The Kings will gladly take Thomas Robinson at five and pair him with DeMarcus Cousins for what has the makings of a very promising front court.  Robinson is a winner and has been very productive in his time at Kansas.

6. Trail Blazers (from Nets) – Harrison Barnes (North Carolina) – The Blazers are in the market for a point guard but this spot might be too high. They could trade down especially with them having the #11 pick also.  If they keep it I think they should consider Harrison Barnes.  Barnes can score the basketball and could be a steal at 6. 

7. Warriors – Jared Sullinger (Ohio State) – The Warriors need some help in the front court and Sullinger would be a welcome addition.  He was about as productive as any other college player the past two seasons and will be a solid pro. 

8. Raptors – Jeremy Lamb (Connecticut) – The Raptors can fill a huge void if they take Lamb here.  Lamb is a very good scorer with NBA range and will give the Raptors a freakishly athletic set of wings in Lamb and DeMar DeRozan. 

9. Pistons – John Henson (North Carolina) – The Pistons can fill a need for a shot blocker and defensive minded player if they take Henson. Henson was among the leaders in college basketball in blocked shots.  He still has to put on some weight and improve his offensive game but at this point in the draft he is worth a look. 

10. Hornets (from Wolves) – Kendall Marshall (North Carolina) – The Hornets can get their point guard of the future if they take Marshall here.  Marshall won’t score a ton but with Eric Gordon and Anthony Davis in the fold he won’t have to.  He has tremendous court vision and is going to have a very good NBA career. 

11. Trail Blazers – Damian Lillard (Weber State) – The Blazers will focus on their need at point guard here.  With Marshall off the board Damian Lillard makes sense.  He is a scoring point guard but is very coachable and has the reputation of being a hard worker. 

12. Bucks – Perry Jones III (Baylor) – The Bucks need to focus on their frontcourt in this draft so I think Perry Jones III makes a lot of sense here. Jones III has great upside and may have slipped a little bit in the draft because of his inconsistency during his two seasons at Baylor.  He is also another high risk high reward player. 

13. Suns – Dion Waiters (Syracuse) – There is a really good chance Steve Nash doesn’t return to the Suns so they might have to use this pick on a guard.  Waiters isn’t a pure point guard but has proven that he can handle the ball. He led Syracuse in scoring coming off the bench and can score in high volumes. 

14. Rockets – Tyler Zeller (North Carolina) – Closing out the lottery I have the Rockets taking Tyler Zeller.  Zeller was very good for four years at North Carolina and has good touch around the basket.  He is 7 feet tall and you know those are at a premium in the NBA.  I think he can be a solid bench player and contribute for a team on the cusp of the playoffs. 

15. 76ers – Arnett Moultrie (Mississippi State) – The 76ers can use this pick to upgrade their size.  They have a roster full of talented guards and could use a player like Moultrie who can stretch the floor and also play big down low.  With Elton Brand getting up there in age Moultrie would be a welcome addition in Philly. 

16. Rockets (from Knicks) – Terrance Ross (Washington) – The Rockets can use their second first round pick on a talented scoring guard in Terrance Ross.  Ross is one of the top shooters in this draft and is an explosive athlete. 

17. Mavericks – Terrance Jones (Kentucky) – Jones is one of the more intriguing players in this draft.  At 6-foot-8 and 244 pounds he is a little undersized to play the 4 in the NBA but that seems to be his natural position.  He has pretty good range but doesn’t always play hard.  He has the potential to be a top 10 pick so if he is on the board at 17 Dallas shouldn’t pass. 

18. Timberwolves (from Jazz) – Austin River (Duke) – Austin Rivers gives the Wolves exactly what they need which is 
help at the two guard.  They already have a promising young core in Ricky Rubio, Kevin Love, and Derrick Williams.  Adding Rivers gives them a scorer who can handle the basketball and create his own shot. 

19. Magic – Meyers Leonard (Illinois) – Leonard has loads of potential and really burst onto the scene this year at Illinois.  A true 7 footer, the Magic can use this pick as an insurance policy should they lose Dwight Howard after next season or even if they decide to trade him. 

20. Nuggets – Quincy Miller (Baylor) – Quincy Miller was once thought to be a top 10 talent out of high school but struggled a bit in his only season at Baylor.  He was coming off of an ACL injury and that might still scare some teams.  Miller is a steal at this point in the draft. 

21. Celtics – Fab Melo (Syracuse) – The Celtics can begin to load up on young talent with the first of back to back picks in the first round.  Melo is still a few years away from contributing on the offensive end but he if the Big East defensive player of the year and will get minutes based on his defensive reputation alone. 

22. Celtics (from Clippers) – John Jenkins (Vanderbilt) – The Celtics can bring in a very talented scorer in Jenkins here.  This might be a little bit early but after Beal and Ross he is the best option as far as shooters go.  He isn’t a great athlete and will have to rely on good offensive sets to get his shots but he can help with the potential departure of Ray Allen. 

23. Hawks – Tony Wroten Jr. (Washington) – Wroten Jr. can be a great value pick here for the Hawks.  He has a great deal of potential at the point guard position and is great at getting to the rim.  He will be a good compliment to Jeff Teague should the Hawks go this route. 

24. Cavaliers (from Lakers) – Moe Harkless (St. Johns) – The Cavaliers have a chance to add another solid piece to their team and if Moe Harkless is available I think they have to take him.  Harkless is a very athletic wing player who can get up and down the court and has a scorer’s mindset. 

25. Grizzlies – Jeff Taylor (Vanderbilt) – The Grizzlies are a team that already has tons of talent and adding Jeff Taylor will help them keep on adding it.  Taylor offers a lot of experience after playing four years at Vanderbilt.  He has decent range and is a very solid defender. There are rumors that Rudy Gay might be on the move so he can be a potential fill in at the small forward spot. 

26. Pacers – Marquis Teague (Kentucky) – There is a lot of talk with the Pacers and if they are going to extend a qualifying offer to George Hill.  They have Darren Collison in the fold also. If they lose Hill then Teague makes sense, he has great upside and if he had stayed at Kentucky another season you could be talking about a lottery pick which will be hard to pass on at this point in the draft. 

27. Heat – Royce White (Iowa State) – Royce White has tons of talent but there is a lot of talk about an anxiety disorder that might scare teams.  The Heat should not hesitate to grab him here because a talent like this is usually not available this late in the draft. 

28. Thunder – Evan Fournier (France) – From what I’ve read Fournier is the best international prospect in this draft.  He might not be ready to come over to the NBA this year but that shouldn’t stop the Thunder from taking a young talent like him and stashing him away. 

29. Bulls – Doron Lamb (Kentucky) – The Bulls are in an interesting position.  They will likely be without Rose for most of the season.  Doron Lamb is a scorer who has improved his shooting over his two seasons at Kentucky. The Bulls are in need of an outside shooter and Lamb offers that. 

30. Warriors (from Spurs) – Will Barton (Memphis) – Will Barton will be a good pick to close out the first round for the Warriors.  Barton has good range and can give the Warriors another scoring option especially with the injury history of Steph Curry.