Beasley vs. Rose

Be-Easy vs. D. Rose, Chicago has some decisions to make...

Wow. Didn't see that one coming.

You know, I've had a long couple of weeks and quite frankly, I was in need of some rest. That's what moving into a new place, starting a new job, doing community service, socializing on the weekends, and having a rambunctious, aggressive lady-friend who keeps you up at night will do to you. (oh, boy...) Needless to say, I was frustrated to find out that I had slept through two big moments this evening. First, Kevin Garnett being as aggressive and assertive in Game One vs. the Pistons as his Game Seven performance as a member of the Timberwolves vs. Sacramento back in 2004 (32 points, 21 rebounds, two assists, five blocks, and four steals.)

Second...well, that's the one I didn't see coming.

With the first pick of the 2008 NBA Draft, the Chicago Bulls will select...

Really? Is this how the basketball gods treat us? The team who has mismanaged their own talent as poorly as the Clippers in the last ten years? Okay, that might be slightly overboard but for a team who's been as loaded with talent as Chicago I almost feel as if they don't deserve the chance of picking number one.

With that being said, the debate for the next month will be who will Chicago take?

Derrick Rose. Michael Beasley.

For the life of me, this seems to be an obvious choice. You have a highly perimeter-based offense with ZERO post presence inside. In Beasley, you have a player who is a more explosive version of David West/Bernard King type. He's also seems to be a player capable to being leaned on, because the Bulls have no leader whatsoever (okay, maybe Joakim Noah. Only guy on the team that looks like he gives a damn), and he could lay a strong foundation in Chicago for years to come. Oh, and he's 19.

But from the conversations I've had with other pundits of the game, they all say take Derrick Rose. "Ed, point guards like that don't grow on trees." I know that, you have to plant the point guard in the ground first, then it grows on trees. Idiot. Anyway, Derrick Rose is a phenomenal player right now and can do everything you need. Penetrate, dish, defend, and score. He's a three-point shot and having some court savvy away from being a complete player in the league right now. The Bulls have ZERO players on the team now who are explosive, and D. Rose is the epitome of explosive. Oh, and he's 19, too.

**I just realized something, the Bulls are really bad. They remind me a lot of the Sonics back in 2004-05. A team full of jump shooters (Ray Allen, Rashard Lewis, Brent Barry, Vlad Radmonivic), and that's about it. They caught luck in a bottle and won a very weak Northwest division that year with 52 wins and lost in the first round against the Kings. The Bulls remind me of them; made the playoffs under Scott Skiles direction, beat the Heat in a sweep in round one and seemed destined for greatness. They were young, they hustled, played defense, and were a bunch of jump shooters. Now, they don't hustle and don't play defense, and they suck.**

My point is this: of course they can't really go wrong with either pick, but it seems to me that Beasley could add some offensive diversity to their team and a much needed physical presence. Now Beasley has to continue to work on being an inside guy, as he's had the tendency to drift out to the perimeter on occasion. At this point, if I'm the Bulls GM, I take Beasley number one.

And the Miami Heat have the easiest, greatest seat in the house. With the number two pick, they don't even have to work at all. I'd say the Heat are playoff-bound in '09 with a healthy Dwyane Wade, Shawn Marion, Udonis Haslem, and either Rose/Beasley.

D-Wade and Big Homie, we big pimpin with the number two pick...

Let me know what you think at ed@edthesportsfan.com and give me your feedback on who should go number one.

-Ed.

P.S. I'm a sports fan, so I'm going on record saying this now. I'm picking Chelsea in the upset, just because I hate Manchester United (they're like the Yankees when the Yankees were good.) My boy Drogba puts two in the ol' onion bags as Chelsea wins in an offensive showcase 3-2.

Drogba, he's the homie. Hold me down, fam.

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