NBA Draft 2012: Whom Will the Detroit Pistons Select in Round 1

The 2012 NBA Draft is less than one week away and according to most prognosticators the Detroit Piston's first-round pick is locked down.

At some point the world decided the Pistons were going to draft John Henson at No. 9. It probably helped that ESPN's Chad Ford penciled Henson into that slot in numerous mock drafts.

Ford considers him a good fit in Detroit for several reasons. He's a good defender, can block shots and would pair up well with Greg Monroe. As Ford says, "It wouldn't be a perfect solution for Detroit, but the Pistons don't have a lot of other options here...."

Here's the problem. Henson has a body like Austin Daye. Okay, Henson is about 10 pounds heavier, but he doesn't have a perimeter game like Daye. He's supposed to be a defensive presence down low.

It's hard to imagine him providing any kind of presence against much bigger players though. He's got a lot of length, so he might have the reach advantage, but he'd get pushed around by most NBA power forwards. Obviously the Pistons would try and have him bulk up, but we've seen many similar sized players fail to succeed at this.

Why is Henson rated so high? He's an offensive project and lacks a frame capable of developing an NBA body. Perhaps his University of North Carolina connection has inflated his draft status.

Whatever the reason, Henson should not be the Pistons first choice. Here are five players who make infinitely more sense.

5. Austin Rivers

One of the Pistons biggest needs is perimeter scoring. Ben Gordon was brought in to do just that, but he clearly hasn't lived up to expectations.

Rodney Stuckey is the Pistons most consistent perimeter scorer but he only shot 31 percent from behind the arc last year—and that was a career best!

Overall Detroit was ranked 26th in the NBA in three-point shots made.

Obviously they need help in this area, too. Especially since there's a possibility, however small, that Gordon won't be on the roster. Amnesty or a trade could be the reason for that.

Austin Rivers could fill the role. He's a perimeter scorer with deep range and he's got a big frame capable of out-muscling smaller guards and forwards.

He has characteristics you find in many great scorers, too: a killer instinct and extreme confidence. These are also the characteristics of many great NBA champions. Michael Jordan and Kobe Bryant come to mind.

That's not to say Rivers is the next NBA superstar—simply that he has the right attitude.

The Pistons certainly could stand to have a little of that attitude rub off on them.

4. Terrence Jones

As far as complementing Greg Monroe, John Henson might actually have an edge on Terrance Jones.

Henson's offensive game is still developing so he wouldn't take touches away from Monroe, or anyone else.

Jones, on the other hand, is a versatile power forward that can score from anywhere on the court, and he was an improved rebounder his sophomore year at Kentucky. He's also a bigger body that could immediately withstand the NBA pounding he'll get on a nightly basis.

Jones' versatility should get him the nod over Henson, especially since is a great scorer and passer like Monroe.

Is it horrible to have two players with these skills? Given the Pistons dire need for scorers, no it's not.

3. Jeremy Lamb

Jeremy Lamb is another shooting guard who could instantly make the Pistons better.

He brings super athleticism, scoring and defense to a team that is in need of all three things. His length also presents a match-up nightmare for opponents.

He's only 6'5" but has an amazing seven-foot wingspan. This alone makes him a terror defensively.

According to Ford, Lamb hasn't worked out in over a week due to a high ankle sprain he suffered during a workout with the Toronto Raptors. His draft stock has slid a bit for this reason alone. He's predicted to go anywhere from lottery pick to early second round.

He's also planning on working out at least a couple times before the draft, so teams will be able to see if he's recovered.

Regardless, the Piston could do worse than Lamb. He's a better athlete already than anyone on the team, and he gives them a versatile scoring option on the wing.

2. Meyers Leonard

If the Pistons are looking for someone to pair up with Greg Monroe that offers more defense than offense, why not go with a legitimate big man.

Meyers Leonard is a seven-footer with an NBA-ready body—although he would benefit from adding some strength.

Like Henson, he would need time to develop his offensive game, but he's just as adept as Henson at blocking shots and rebounding.

The Pistons seem content right now to keep Monroe at center, but that's because they have no other option. Leonard would allow them to move Monroe to the power forward spot, where he is truly better suited.

Leonard could play immediately even though he needs time to develop.

He'd be the defensive presence in the middle the Pistons have lacked, and he'd contribute points via dunks and rebounds. His overall offense would develop with time, and he'd probably reach his ceiling at just about the time Detroit believes it will be ready to compete for the Eastern Conference championship: two to three years from now.

1. Arnette Moultrie

The fact that Arnette Moultrie skipped pre-draft camps last week was quite baffling.

As Chad Ford reports, teams hammered him for the decision.

His draft stock may or may not fall as a result. We've seen players do far worse before drafts and end up getting picked higher than Moultrie is slotted.

At any rate, at least one reporter has suggested that he is skipping workouts because one team has promised to make them their first-round pick.

That team is the Detroit Pistons.

MLive.com's David Mayo makes the Pistons-Moultrie connection, and it's a nice theory—if you like conspiracies.

Most people prefer facts, though, and since neither the Pistons nor Moultrie is talking, there's no way to prove any offer was ever made.

If not, perhaps there should have been. Moultrie is just the type of player the Pistons need. Out of the five I've mentioned he's the best athlete, leaper and rebounder. He's a big man that could pair up nicely with Monroe, and he can play the perimeter too.

Like others on this list—but unlike Henson—he's physically ready for the NBA right now. Yes, he needs to add strength, but so does every rookie in the draft.

His only weakness is that he doesn't block many shots. His versatility and explosiveness make up for that though. He's predicted to go to the Houston Rockets at No. 16, but that's in part because of his decision to not workout.

He certainly doesn't think 16 is where he belongs. In Mayo's article Moultrie makes it clear that his self-confidence should never be questioned. He believes he's a top-10 pick, and anyone who passes him over will regret it:

"

I'm definitely the sleeper of the draft. But that's fine, they can sleep on me. I've been a sleeper all my life.

"

Detroit fans should hope that the Pistons don't sleep on Moultrie.