Source: Cavs make offer for No. 2

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TrueHoop TV: Thomas and Jayla

TrueHoop's Henry Abbott with Thomas Robinson and his sister Jayla one day before the 2012 NBA Draft.Tags: NBA Draft, Thomas Robinson

TrueHoop TV: Thomas and Jayla

CHARLOTTE, N.C. -- With the NBA draft rapidly approaching, the Charlotte Bobcats "are getting closer" to making a deal for the No. 2 pick, a source with direct knowledge of the team's draft plans told ESPN.com's Andy Katz.

The Cleveland Cavaliers, who covet guard Bradley Beal, have offered the Nos. 4, 24 and 33 picks for the Nos. 2 and 31 selections, a source told ESPN The Magazine's Chris Broussard.

The Cavs are convinced the Washington Wizards will select Beal with the No. 3 pick. They have had discussions about swapping picks with the Bobcats at No. 2 to select Beal, but as of Thursday afternoon they still didn't have a deal, sources told ESPN.com's Chad Ford.

If the deal goes through, Charlotte would take Beal at No. 2 for Cleveland and Cleveland would take Thomas Robinson at No. 4 for Charlotte, sources told Katz.

The Bobcats were weighing two different trade offers for the pick, a source told Katz on Thursday.

Charlotte may choose to keep the pick but must decide whether one of the trade offers addresses a more pressing need, according to the source.

Bobcats general manager Rich Cho has stated that it will take "something enticing" for the Bobcats to trade away the pick, although he has not specified what that entails.

Bobcats president of basketball operations Rod Higgins and Cho went out of their way at Wednesday's pre-draft news conference to say they're excited about who they might get at No. 2, but the reality is they're still very much open for business.

"We've had a ton of interest from across the league in the second pick," said Higgins, who refused to name any potential trade partners. "We wouldn't be doing our jobs if we didn't listen and find alternative ways to try to help our ballclub."

They did that Tuesday night via trade.

The Bobcats dealt veteran small forward Corey Maggette to the Detroit Pistons for shooting guard Ben Gordon and a future protected first-round draft pick. The first-round pick gives the Bobcats a valuable asset down the road and Gordon gives the team a legitimate outside shooter following a season in which Charlotte finished last in the league in 3-point shooting (29.5 percent).

Gordon is 12th among active NBA players in career 3-point shooting percentage at 40.6 percent. The trade is the first step in a major roster overhaul the next two years.

The Michael Jordan-owned Bobcats finished with the worst winning percentage (.106) in NBA history this past season and the pressure is on to make good decisions after a variety of poor trades and draft picks in recent years that have left fans disgruntled.

The Bobcats look to change that tide this year.

"We have a lot of cap room this summer and more cap room in 2013," Cho said. "We acquired a really valuable asset with the (Pistons') first-round pick -- especially with the protection involved -- that we can use down the road or in a trade. And we added a scorer and a shooter and consummate professional in Ben that we're excited about."

On the flip side, the loss of Maggette leaves the Bobcats with a gaping hole at the No. 3 spot as Derrick Brown is the only player on the roster who really fits that role.

That doesn't mean the Bobcats will be more inclined to use the No. 2 pick on a small forward, Cho said.

Cho lives by the philosophy of "draft talent and trade for need," meaning the Bobcats could still fill the small forward position in free agency or via trade. Cho's philosophy means the Bobcats will draft "the best player available" regardless of who's on the roster.

Higgins said drafting a small forward simply because that is the team's most glaring need right now would be "shortsighted."

"You have to look at all things considered, and the draft is just the next order of business in terms of building your team," Higgins said. "You also have the ability to trade and free agency is right around the corner where you can upgrade, too."

Information from ESPN The Magazine's Chris Broussard, ESPN.com's Andy Katz, ESPN.com's Chad Ford and The Associated Press was used in this report.

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