Beasley or Rose?

As the lottery approaches (it's tomorrow in case you didn't know), I decided to break down, for each team, who they should take (between Beasley and Rose), if they ended up with the number one pick. We'll start with the league-worst Miami Heat...

Miami: This franchise is about to go through drastic rebuilding process, and will have to complete it quickly in order to please their star guard Dwyane Wade, who could bolt in 2010/2011 for a chance to play with a better team and a brighter future. However, if Miami manages to escape karma, and win the top pick, Kansas State hybrid forward Michael Beasley is the best choice for a quicker improvement. While Derrick Rose and Dwyane Wade would make the best, most explosive back court in the league, a trio of Wade, Marion, and Beasley would be much more effective in the long run. So I give the edge to Beasley for Miami.

Seattle: Although most Seattle fans are drooling at the idea of Michael Beasley and Kevin Durant, two potential 25 point per game scorers, playing along side each other, the presence of Derrick Rose would benefit this team to a much greater extent. Seattle has a nice future ahead of them, with a core of Kevin Durant, Jeff Green, and Chris Wilcox, but they don't have a future point-man for their offense, which will hold them back for a while in this tough Western Conference. If Seattle ends up with Rose, Durant will easily become a top 3 scorer in the league, and will do so much more efficiently. Seattle has another pick later in the first round, and could possibly select Rose's Memphis Tiger's teammate, Chris Douglas-Roberts to fill in as shooting guard, and allow Kevin to move back to his natural SF position. So for this pick, I give the edge to Derrick Rose of Memphis.

Minnesota: It seems as though, Minnesota wants Randy Foye as their point guard of the future, but for the good of their team, drafting Derrick Rose would be much more beneficial to the games of Al Jefferson, Corey Brewer, and Randy Foye. However, I believe that if Minnesota were to land the number 1 pick, Michael Beasley would be in their future, and their future would be bright. Lately, I have been hearing many people say how the Wolves need a center, so Big Al can move back to PF, but I disagree, with how the league is changing into a more athletic league, and starting centers are become quicker and more agile, Al Jefferson should stay at center. So by drafting Beasley, Jefferson stays at center, and Beasley and Brewer, alongside Jefferson, create one of the best future front courts in the league. So I'm saying the Wolves take Beasley here.


Memphis: Although Derrick Rose was the hero for the city of Memphis this year, the Grizzlies already have their point guard of the future in Mike Conley Jr., and adding Rose would just be a waste of a pick, when they could fill their void at PF with Michael Beasley, who would, create one of the most athletic forward combos in the league, alongside Rudy Gay. So I give the obvious edge to Michael Beasley here.

New York: The Knicks, being in the situation they are now, could go either way with this pick. However, with the recent hiring of run n' gun head coach Mike D'Antoni, the only way the Knick's offense will be effective this year, is with a top notch point guard running the show. So unless the Knicks are able to pull of a deal for a Jose Calderon or a TJ Ford, Derrick Rose would be the much better choice. Not only would Derrick Rose make an immediate, positive, impact on this dysfunctional Knicks team, but he would be D'Antoni's New York Steve Nash, and would most likely end up being a top three point guard in the league some day. So D-Rose gets the edge in this pick.

L.A. Clippers: The Clippers are even more of a tossup if they get the first pick. They could go with Rose, and have a future core of Rose, Thornton, and Kaman, or they could draft Beasley, and create possibly one of the best future front courts in the league, with Thornton, Beasley, and Kaman. If they drafted Beasley, they could probably get a nice shooting guard or point guard in sign and trade deals including Corey Maggette and Elton Brand. However, if they draft Rose, they could keep Brand and have a great front court right now, and possibly make the playoffs after having two bad years after making the playoffs for the first time in god knows how long. But it seems like, for this young Clippers team, playing for the future is the best bet, and the amount the could get for Brand and Maggette while picking Beasley, would be greater than just taking Rose. So, Beasley gets the edge for this pick.

Milwaukee: Rumors are starting to surround around the Milwaukee Bucks, saying that the Bucks might entertain trading this years lottery pick for someone that could help them immediately. Now this might not be such a bad idea, since Milwaukee's last three draft picks have turned into Yi Jianlian, Andrew Bogut, and TJ Ford, who was later traded to Toronto for Charlie Villanueva, a small forward stuck in a power forward's body. Considering the Bucks passed up on Corey Brewer, Thaddeus Young, Chris Paul, and Deron Williams, guys who all would of filled voids at the time, and are either superstars in this league, or have very bright futures ahead of them in this league. Nevertheless, it is tough to tell whose going to be good, unless you have a top two pick, the draft is really a crap shoot. So best of luck to Milwaukee. If they do decide to draft, Beasley is the obvious choice here, as the Bucks are weak at the small forward position, and have a logjam at the point guard spot, with to formidable point men in Mo Williams and Ramon Sessions.

Charlotte: It's tough to know what the Charlotte Bobcats want out of this years draft. They can barely get their starting lineup healthy and/or situated. They could go small and have a lineup of Felton, Richardson, Morrison, Wallace, and Okafor, and draft a player to add depth to their bench, or they could go smart, send Morrison to the bench, and start Felton, Richardson, Wallace, and Okafor. Then they would draft a power forward, in this case, Beasley, and move Okafor to the center position, creating a very athletic starting five, and a very deep bench, hopefully paving the way for the franchises first playoff appearance, and many more after that. So I give the edge easily to Michael Beasley.


Chicago: Very tough decision here. Chicago is a very young team, that has very solid, very young players at virtually every position. However, Derrick Rose and Michael Beasley would certainly be upgrades over Kirk Hinrich and Tyrus Thomas. With the Bulls lack of interior scoring, Michael Beasley seems like he would help Chicago immediately, and by drafting him, it would allow Chicago to trade Tyrus Thomas or Drew Gooden to teams whose system they fit in better, and maybe get a better shooting guard or point guard in return if they thrown in Kirk Hinrich, Ben Gordon, or Larry Hughes. Rose would be a big help to this team, but Chicago needs interior scoring now, and Gooden, Thomas, and Joakim Noah aren't they guys that will bring that for Chicago.

New Jersey: If New Jersey gets the top pick, or any pick in the top 3 for that matter, it seems that, according to rumors, it will be sent, along with Richard Jefferson and a few other players to Denver for Carmelo Anthony and Marcus Camby. I think that if that is the case, I am basically drafting for Denver here, so I would pick Michael Beasley for Denver, because with the absence of Carmelo AND Camby, the Nuggets will need some inside offensive firepower, which Beasley can bring, while drafting Rose, will just create problems with Iverson in the back court. Iverson would have to go back to the shooting guard position, and probably wear down his body much quicker, instead of preserving his body by playing the point, and scoring less points night in and night out. So I go with Beasley here, for either team.

Indiana: This is an easy decision. The Pacers already have Danny Granger and Mike Dunleavy, so adding Beasley would just bring in another combo forward for Indiana (who also has the 21 year old Shawne Williams on their roster in addition to Granger and Dunleavy). Also, the Pacers need help at the point guard, since Jamal Tinsley has proven to be inconsistent and injury prone, so drafting Rose would change the face of their entire franchise, and possibly push the Pacers back into the playoffs.

Sacramento: Like Minnesota and the Clippers, this decision is a coin toss. Although the Kings already have Beno Udrih as their point guard, Derrick Rose would be a great addition to the Kings, and give them a point guard who would be playing at the level of Chris Paul and Deron Williams in a year or so. However, Sacramento's power forward situation doesn't look to bright. They are currently going with Mikki Moore, who is a center at heart, Shelden Williams, who is a center in a power forward's body, and Shareef Abdur-Rahim and Kenny Thomas, who seem to be injured every other game. So with Sacramento's dire need of some dominate interior players, Michael Beasley looks to be the Kings first choice, if they are selecting #1 in June.

Portland: If Portland even finishes in the top 3 this year, I'm calling the NBA lottery fixed, because that would give the Blazers Brandon Roy, LaMarcus Aldridge, Greg Oden, and a top three pick in this years draft, in a span of just 3 years. No way a team gets that lucky. However, if the balls decide to fall in Portland's favor, I see them knowing their decision by the end of the lottery, and going with the Memphis point guard, Derrick Rose. Alongside Roy, Rose and Roy would create possibly the best back court in the Western Conference, to go along with a top flight front court, and ensure the Blazers success for the next decade and a half. Drafting Beasley would be a mistake, giving the Blazers 3 inside scorers, most likely forcing them to trade at least one of them, when they could keep who they have now, and become one of the best teams in the west in 08-09 by drafting D-Rose.

Golden State: Drafting Rose would definitely give the Warriors something to fall back on in case Baron Davis decides to opt out this summer, but if he doesn't, it would be a wasted pick. By drafting Beasley, the Warriors fill a hole that has been empty since the days of Antwan Jamison. Beasley would become a leading scorer and rebounder for the Warriors, something they desperately need, and would thrive in Don Nelson's system, due to his amazing athletic ability. So for this pick, I give the easy nod to K-State hybrid forward, Michael Beasley.

Well, those are the 14 lotto teams. Best of luck to all of them (except for Miami, who deserves the 4th pick) in tonight's draft lottery. Check back soon for Playoff Reports, Mock Drafts, and other cool stuff.