NBA Draft 2012: Power Ranking the 5 Best Options for Charlotte Bobcats at No. 2

Once the forgone conclusion of the NBA draft comes to fruition on June 28th, and the New Orleans Hornets select Anthony Davis with the first overall pick, all eyes will turn to the Charlotte Bobcats for the first time in a long time.

The Bobcats were quite literally painful to watch this past season, and that is why the second pick in the 2012 NBA draft is so important. What majority owner Michael Jordan and general manager Rich Cho choose to do with that pick will dictate the rest of the first round.

After finishing an abysmal 7-59 in the condensed NBA season, Charlotte has a lot of work to do retooling its team. It will start with the second overall pick in a couple weeks.

There are a great many ways the Bobcats can use that pick. These are the five best options.

5. Bradley Beal

Bradley Beal is a tremendously gifted sorer who has been flying up draft boards for months now. He scored 15 points per game in Florida and shot a decent percentage from everywhere on the court.

However, he would not be the best choice for the Charlotte Bobcats at No. 2 overall. 

Beal's size (6'3"-6'5") is troublesome, particularly for a Charlotte team that already features a scorer in that mold, Gerald Henderson.

I am higher on Henderson than most, but at the same time, the Bobcats just exercised their $3.1 million extension on him for the 2012-2013 season. They want to see if he can continue to develop into the premier scorer they need.

If Charlotte wants to continue to stockpile undersized scorers, then Beal should be right up its alley—it just doesn't make as much sense to me.

Beal is just too similar to Henderson, and there are much more pressing needs to be filled on the Bobcats roster. 

4. Andre Drummond

The Charlotte Bobcats had, by far, the league's worst point differential last season at minus-13.9. They gave up over 100 points per game to opponents and had very little defensive presence on the interior. They ranked 29th in team rebounding as well.

Andre Drummond could be a smart choice at No. 2 overall.

Next to Anthony Davis, he is the most talented big man in the draft and would give immediate legitimacy to the Bobcats frontcourt. Drummond averaged nearly three blocked shots per game during his freshman season at Connecticut. He can also haul in rebounds and has a high basketball IQ. 

The only hesitation with Drummond is due to a man by the name of Hasheem Thabeet. A similar player who came out of the same school as Drummond and flopped in the NBA.

The Bobcats would be taking a small risk here, but the benefits of having a quality big in the NBA may outweigh the negatives.

3. Thomas Robinson

Thomas Robinson's appeal is not just in his gaudy statistics or his championship resume. It is his leadership and experience that will make him attractive to Charlotte.

The Bobcats have shown an affinity for multi-year college players who have led their teams to extreme heights. They did so in drafting Kemba Walker last year after he lead UConn to a NCAA championship his junior season, nearly the exact same thing that Robinson just did at Kansas. 

In terms of statistical legitimacy, Robinson is there as well.

He has improved drastically in each of his three years at Kansas and finished off last season scoring nearly 18 points and grabbing 12 rebounds per game.

At 21, Robinson is already older than the man who would be his frontcourt mate, Bismack Biyombo. The two would make a pretty good unit, as they each cover for the other's deficiencies; Biyombo can protect the rim, and Robinson can rebound and score in a variety of ways. 

2. Trade the Pick

The Charlotte Bobcats have a great many holes on their roster. Grabbing one player, even one as talented as some of these highly ranked prospects, won't be a quick fix.

The Bobcats need more than that to right the ship. That is why there have been rumors floating about that they are looking to deal the No. 2 pick (per Hoopsworld's Alex Kennedy).

There are a few teams with multiple first-round picks that could be looking to move up in the draft, and the Bobcats appear to be willing partners. Charlotte would be smart to slide down a few spots while also grabbing an additional first-round pick or a quality veteran. 

Charlotte was one of the youngest teams in the NBA last season, with Corey Maggette as its only truly viable veteran. Adding some experience through a trade while also still getting one of the top prospects would be a great option for Charlotte.

1. Michael Kidd-Gilchrist

Outside of Anthony Davis, Michael Kidd-Gilchrist may be the surest thing in the 2012 draft. The Bobcats were devoid of any sort of leadership on or off the floor last season, and that is just one quality Kidd-Gilchrist brought to Kentucky.

On physical attributes and skill alone, Kidd-Gilchrist stands up to the top players in the draft. He stands at 6'7" and weighs 210 lbs. He scored 12 points and grabbed seven rebounds per game last season and was instrumental in Kentucky's national championship campaign.

His best moment came in the Sweet Sixteen against Indiana. Davis struggled, and Kidd-Gilchrist came up with a huge 24-point, 10-rebound effort to propel the Wildcats to victory.

The Bobcats have been risk-takers the past couple of seasons, choosing flash and style over substance in the draft. That has led to disappointments like Adam Morrison, Brandon Wright and Kemba Walker.

Picking Kidd-Gilchrist here is a step in the right direction for a franchise that desperately needs it.