Mock Draft 3.0: Top 3 set; Rockets making moves

The real implication, of course, is that the Rockets are trying to position themselves, again, for a big move, by many indications heading straight for Dwight Howard even with the David Aldridge report that there is no chance Howard would re-sign in Houston as a free agent after 2012-13.

For now, though, there are the draft implications of the Rockets sending Chase Budinger to the Timberwolves on Tuesday for the 18th pick Thursday night. For one thing, Houston now has 14, 16 and 18. For another, there is somewhere between zero percent and zero percent chance they use all three, especially three so bunched together, so welcome to the starting line of the dominoes beginning to fall.

There figured to be some movement higher up, into the lottery, anyway. The No. 2 pick, now Bobcats property, has been dangled for weeks. The Trail Blazers have two picks, though indications are they will keep both. The Warriors want a push into the playoffs, not another rookie. The surprise would be if nothing happens.

FIRST ROUND

1		New Orleans Hornets | Anthony Davis | C | Kentucky Davis is nothing short of the perfect piece for the rebuilding: superstar-level talent, high energy, hard worker, excellent character. | Season highlights

2		Charlotte Bobcats | Thomas Robinson | PF | Kansas The pick is in play. If the Bobcats do not trade it, Robinson is an inside presence for a team that needs to get tougher. | Season highlights

3		Washington Wizards | Bradley Beal | SG | Florida If Robinson is off the board and the best chance to address a size need is gone, the Wizards fill another hole by adding a promising shooter. | Season highlights

4		Cleveland Cavaliers | Harrison Barnes | SF | North Carolina You take Tristan Thompson at 4 a year ago, you clearly don't mind unconventional. So keep Andre Drummond in mind. But most signs still pointing to a Barnes-Michael Kidd-Gilchrist decision. | Season highlights

5		Sacramento Kings | Michael Kidd-Gilchrist | SF | Kentucky The Kings would be very happy. While Kidd-Gilchrist adds to the shooting woes, he would be a big improvement for the defense, for small forward and for the locker room. | Season highlights

6		Portland Trail Blazers | Damian Lillard | PG | Weber St. The Blazers, in need of a center, will give Andre Drummond a look. But they also need a point guard, and Lillard is the best one in the draft.

7		Golden State Warriors | Andre Drummond | C | Connecticut There is no ideal outcome for the Warriors barring a surprising slip by someone who once thought he was a lock for the top five. Dion Waiters is a strong option as well. | Season highlights

8		Toronto Raptors | Dion Waiters | SG | Syracuse Waiters is a little small at 6-foot-4, but he is an aggressive scorer who will cause problems for defenses.| Season highlights

9		Detroit Pistons | Meyers Leonard | C | Illinois The Pistons could have their choice of centers if Drummond slips, a possibility. Either way, they'd be pleased to have a pairing for Greg Monroe.| Prospect Profile

10		New Orleans Hornets | Kendall Marshall | PG | North Carolina After going big with the first pick, the Hornets take the best distributor in the Draft and hope he continues to improve as a shooter. | Season highlights

11		Portland Trail Blazers | Tyler Zeller | C | North Carolina Although he does not have the same upside as Drummond or Leonard, Zeller is the most NBA-ready of the centers and will be solid for many years. | Season highlights

12		Houston Rockets | Austin Rivers | SG | Duke There is great disparity from teams on the Rivers read. Some see mid-lottery with a long career of scoring numbers, others see mid-teens with dominating the ball and turnovers. | Season highlights

13		Phoenix Suns | Jeremy Lamb | SG | Connecticut The Suns would love to add a defensive presence -- John Henson is an option -- but can't let Lamb's offense drop down the board any longer. | Season highlights

14		Milwaukee Bucks | Moe Harkless | SF | St. John's The Bucks got their (temporary) solution at center with the Samuel Dalembert acquisition while trading down two spots. If they also end up with a small forward an upgrade at small forward and in athleticism, it is a very good week. | Season highlights

15		Philadelphia 76ers | John Henson | PF | North Carolina Some teams see a potential defensive star in Henson. He needs to bulk up to make the possibility a reality. A good candidate for the Bucks at the end of the lottery as well. | Season highlights

16		Houston Rockets | Terrence Jones | PF | Kentucky The Rockets are obviously aiming for something big and looking to package their three picks. But if there is no major deal, there is a good chance they will move the last of selections on its own. There is no European prospect to take here and stash. | Season highlights

17		Dallas Mavericks | Terrence Ross | SG | Washington The emerging sophomore has signs of a big-time scorer, with range on his shot and athleticism, with the versatility to play either swing spot. | Season highlights

18		Houston Rockets | Royce White | SF | Iowa State The pick acquired in the Budinger deal. White lost the chance to play for the hometown Timberwolves, as he hoped, but is still headed for the teens or early-20s. | Season highlights

19		Orlando Magic | Jared Sullinger | PF | Ohio State Power forward is among the least of the concerns in Orlando, but that's most of the candidates on the board. Sullinger has too much talent to pass. | Season highlights

20		Denver Nuggets | Perry Jones III | PF | Baylor The talented-but-enigmatic Jones, a strong candidate for the lottery early in the season, is hoping he convinced teams he has gained the proper mindset. | Season highlights

21		Boston Celtics | Arnett Moultrie | PF | Mississippi St. The Celtics, needing size anyway, try to build a bridge to life after Kevin Garnett. Moultrie rebounds, moves well and has an improving offensive game. | Season highlights

22		Boston Celtics | John Jenkins | SG | Vanderbilt Jenkins is one of the best shooters available, complete with 3-point range. Plus, the Celtics may be parting ways with Ray Allen. | Season highlights

23		Atlanta Hawks | Andrew Nicholson | PF | St. Bonaventure Nicholson is experienced and projects as a dependable player who can score from inside or out. | Season highlights

24		Cleveland Cavaliers | Fab Melo | C | Syracuse Melo needs a lot of work on offense, but is a worthwhile investment because of his defensive presence at 7-feet and 255 pounds. | Season highlights

25		Memphis Grizzlies | Jeffrey Taylor | SF | Vanderbilt The Grizzlies could become very formidable defensively on the wings with Tony Allen and Taylor, the son of the former NBA player of the same name.

26		Indiana Pacers | Quincy Miller | SF | Baylor The Pacers have developed something that will last and can afford to wait for a payoff this late. Miller has talent, but struggled in 2011-12. | Season highlights

27		Miami Heat | Festus Ezeli | C | Vanderbilt At 6-foot-11 and 265 pounds, Ezeli has the potential to become a shot blocker and the work ethic to become a solid role player for Miami. | Season highlights

28		Oklahoma City Thunder | Marquis Teague | PG | Kentucky OKC needs point guard depth behind Russell Westbrook. Teague isn't a true point, but some teams believe he can develop. | Season highlights

29		Chicago Bulls | Will Barton | SG | Memphis The Bulls will like the scoring punch from one of the Draft sleepers, a long, athletic junior who needs to get stronger and add range to his shot. | Prospect Profile

30		Golden State Warriors | Tony Wroten Jr. | PG | Washington The pick probably changes -- to Miles Plumlee, Draymond Green or maybe Evan Fournier -- if the Warriors go guard at No. 7.

SECOND ROUND

31		Charlotte Bobcats | Orlando Johnson | SG | UC-Santa Barbara The Bobcats are desperate for offense, and Johnson has a versatile scoring game and can also pass and rebound. | Prospect profile

32		Washington Wizards | Miles Plumlee | PF | Duke Plumlee has packaged great athleticism with a set of quality pre-draft workouts to become a possibility for the first round. | Prospect profile

33		Cleveland Cavaliers | Evan Fournier | SF | France The top-rated prospect from Europe -- discounting Sweden's Jeff Taylor, who attended high school and college (Vandy) in the U.S. -- probably stays in Europe another season.

34		Cleveland Cavaliers | Doron Lamb | SG | Kentucky He has a great chance to stick as a role player on shooting alone. One of the less-publicized members of the national champions has NBA range and can create. | Season highlights

35		Golden State Warriors | Tomas Satoransky | SG | Czech Republic The Warriors have no interest in adding two rookies in the first round and two in the second. Satoransky has an out in his contract this summer, but is open to returning to Europe. | Prospect profile

36		Sacramento Kings | Draymond Green | SF | Michigan State There are questions whether he can transition from college power forward, but Green has four years college experience, rebounds, passes and scores inside. | Season highlights

37		Toronto Raptors | Tyshawn Taylor | PG | Kansas Taylor has great physical attributes, but is suspect as a decision maker. If he improves there, the Raptors have a contributor. | Season highlights

38		Denver Nuggets | Kyle O'Quinn | C | Norfolk State O'Quinn went from 26 points and 14 rebounds to lead the upset of Missouri in the NCAA tournament to being named MVP at the Portsmouth pre-Draft tournament. | Season highlights

39		Detroit Pistons | Jared Cunningham | SG | Oregon State Cunningham can be a difference maker on defense and brings a strong work ethic. Getting stronger will help. | Season highlights

40		Portland Trail Blazers | Kevin Murphy | SF | Tennessee Tech A quick player who uses screens well and can score in bunches. The concern is that he is only 195 pounds and played at a small school.

41		Portland Trail Blazers | Kostas Papanikolaou | SF | Greece He boosted his stock at the Euroleague Final Final to become a good candidate to keep in Europe to develop, especially for a team that has three earlier picks.

42		Milwaukee Bucks | Henry Sims | C | Georgetown Sims is such a skilled passer at 6-11 ½ and 240 pounds that he was the only player to finish in the top 15 in the Big East in blocks and assists. | Prospect profile

43		Atlanta Hawks | Scott Machado | PG | Iona Machado is a poor-man's Kendall Marshall -- terrific passer and floor vision, but not explosive. A candidate to become a dependable backup. | Prospect profile

44		Detroit Pistons | Drew Gordon | PF | New Mexico A nonstop competitor who moves well at 240 pounds and is particularly tenacious on the boards. | Season highlights

45		Philadelphia 76ers | Darius Miller | SF | Kentucky A senior and one of the glue guys of the national champions, Miller is a shooter with 3-point range and NBA size at 6-7 ½ and 235 pounds. | Season highlights

46		New Orleans Hornets | Hollis Thompson | SG | Georgetown Thompson is one of the best perimeter shooters in the Draft, with the kind of 3-point range that can keep him in the NBA. | Season highlights

47		Utah Jazz | Kim English | SG | Missouri English, at 190 pounds, needs to get stronger. But he is a very good shooter with range, experienced after four years in school, and smart. | Prospect profile

48		New York Knicks | Khris Middleton | SF | Texas A&M His play in pre-Draft auditions, particularly the Chicago combine, was an encouraging reminder of his previous level of play after a 2011-12 marred by injury. | Season highlights

49		Orlando Magic | Kris Joseph | SF | Syracuse A terrific athlete and finisher who sometimes had lapses in aggressiveness last season as a senior. | Season highlights

50		Denver Nuggets | Furkan Aldemir | PF | Turkey If he can bulk up from the 220 pounds on the 6-foot-9 frame, Aldemir has a chance to be a sold rebounder in the NBA, whenever he comes over.

51		Boston Celtics | Quincy Acy | PF | Baylor While it is never easy to make it as a power forward at 6-foot-7, Acy is a leaper with a long reach and a passion to scrap. | Season highlights

52		Golden State Warriors | Bernard James | PF | Florida State James is a defender/rebounder with a proven work ethic after six years in the Air Force, exactly the approach the Warriors hope to add. | Prospect profile

53		Los Angeles Clippers | Kevin Jones | PF | West Virgina The Clippers may need immediate help inside, depending what happens with their own free agents, and Jones will crash the offensive glass. | Season highlights

54		Philadelphia 76ers | Darius Johnson-Odom | PG | Marquette Though an honorable mention All-America and the No. 2 scorer in the Big East, he will have a tough time staying at shooting guard at 6-foot-3. | Prospect profile

55		Dallas Mavericks | Jae Crowder | SF | Marquette A tough, versatile defender who can guard both wing spots and will rebound, especially on the offensive end. | Season highlights

56		Toronto Raptors | Tornike Shengelia | SF | Republic of Georgia Though not ready to come to the NBA now, Shengelia has shown enough skill and toughness to warrant a second-round pick.

57		Brooklyn Nets | JaMychal Green | PF | Alabama An active defender, Green can use athleticism and effort to block shots and rebound, maybe even enough to make the team. | Season highlights

58		Minnesota Timberwolves | William Buford | SG | Ohio State Buford will have to continue as a perimeter threat to have a chance to stick in Minnesota, though he can also pass and will rebound. | Season highlights

59		San Antonio Spurs | Robert Sacre | C | Gonzaga A legit center at 6-foot-11 and 260 pounds, Sacre plays solid and smart. He has a few inside moves and an understanding of where to be to make the right play on defense. | Season highlights

60		L.A. Lakers | Mike Scott | PF | Virginia Scott is a physical presence inside at 6-foot-8 ½ and 240 pounds and can also score from different spots on the court. | Prospect profile

Scott Howard-Cooper has covered the NBA since 1988. You can e-mail him here and follow him on twitter.

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