Charlotte Bobcats and the No. 2 Pick: What Should They Do in the 2012 NBA Draft

With the 2012 NBA Draft up and coming, the consensus No. 1 pick is Kentucky All American big man Anthony Davis. With the New Orleans Hornets winning the number one pick in the lottery, it will shock the world if they decide to skip on Davis. After that, it's anyone's guess as to what will happen. 

The number two overall pick in this year's draft belongs to the Charlotte Bobcats. The Michael Jordan owned Bobcats had a forgettable season, going 7-59, with a winning percentage a little over 10 percent. They were the only team to not break double digit wins, as the second worst team in the NBA, the Washington Wizards, had 20. 

Clearly, the Bobcats need a lot of help, and with this 2012 draft class being labeled as "deep," they have a lot of options to choose from. A lot of names have been thrown around from Florida Guard Bradley Beal, Kansas big man Thomas Robinson, and Kentucky's small forward Michael Kidd-Gilchrist. Beal brings a guard who can score by getting to the rim, who is also excellent in catch-and-shoot situations, while Robinson and Kidd-Gilchrist both bring great rebounding abilities and high motors. 

ESPN's Chad Ford reports that:

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"The Detroit Pistons have agreed to trade Ben Gordon and a 2013 protected first-round pick to the Charlotte Bobcats for swingman Corey Maggette, a league source told ESPN.com."

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With the Bobcats landing someone who can score, and also making space at the forward position, this may leave Bradley out of the equation at number two.

That leaves the Bobcats with either Thomas Robinson or Michael Kidd-Gilchrist, or possibly North Carolina forward Harrison Barnes (For those who forgot, Michael Jordan attended UNC as well, so there may be some connection there). 

At number two, the Charlotte Bobcats should draft Kentucky forward Michael-Kidd Gilchrist. The Bobcats certainly have a lot of needs, but Kidd-Gilchrist makes the most sense and moves the team in the right direction. 

At 6'7" and 232 pounds, Kidd-Gilchrist relentlessly attacks the rim to score. His quickness and athleticism allows him to finish plays well.

With great athleticism, and a wingspan of 7'0" and a standing reach of 8' 8.5", one of Kidd-Gilchrist's strengths is that he is an excellent rebounder. His strength allows him to rebound like a power forward, and this allows him to create second chance opportunities.

He has great size for the small forward position and can also play defense, something that all NBA coaches and scouts look for. 

Of course, he has aspects of his game that do need work. Kidd-Gilchrist is not a great shooter. He only shot 25.5 percent from three last season in Kentucky. Most of his scoring comes from attacking the rim or second chance opportunities.

To be a prolific scorer in the NBA, he would need to improve his arsenal in his offensive game. At only 18 years of age, he has time to put in the work and polish his offensive skill set. 

Kidd-Gilchrist's intangibles are off the charts. He shows effort and passion in every play of the game, both offense and defense. Known in college for great work ethic and always playing with high energy, Kidd-Gilchrist's passion for the game will be contagious to his teammates. 

Thomas Robinson would be a good pick as well as he possesses great strength and intangibles as well, but at 6'9", he is an undersized power forward. He may not possess the speed to guard quick, athletic small forwards in the league. He may also be undersized going against bigger and longer power forwards in the league.

However, Robinson does possess the same intangibles that Kidd-Gilchrist has.

There have also been reports that Charlotte may trade this pick. According to ESPN: 

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New Charlotte coach Mike Dunlap says the idea of trading down from the No. 2 spot in the NBA draft to acquire extra picks "makes a lot of sense" for a young team like the Bobcats. 

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The Charlotte Bobcats have a lot of options coming their way as the 2012 NBA Draft approaches.

Whatever their front office decides on, they cannot possibly have a repeat season with single digit wins....right?

Remember to catch the 2012 NBA Draft on Thursday, June 28 at 7 PM EST/4 PM PDT.