Wednesday, May 21, 2008

Heat Fails To Get #1 Pick, But Have To Be Smiling

There are three ways to feel about the Chicago Bulls this morning - frustrated, annoyed, and livid. The team with the 1.7% chance of landing the first selection in next month's NBA Draft got that advantageous bounce of the lottery ball on Tuesday night before Game 1 of the Eastern Conference Finals. Insert favorite complaint about the system here.

For the Heat, although I am genuinely disappointed that they do not get to pick from whomever they like among the collegiate ranks, I console myself with the thought that #2 is a no-lose situation, and that it could have been a lot worse. Look, the consensus among Heat fans is that Derrick Rose would be the better fit. I think Rose would be the better fit. But if the Bulls make the smart choice and draft the Chris Paul-like talent, the Heat would in no intelligible sense be "settling" for Kansas State beast Michael Beasley (how's "Michael Beastley" for an early moniker?). A freshman averaging 26 points and 12 rebounds in the Big XII is a surreal talent. The last time a Big XII freshman put up those numbers? Kevin Durant. Tell me you wouldn't be smiling if the NBA Rookie of the Year put on a Heat uniform as a matter of course.

So take your hands off the panic button. While it is true that NBA point guards (Paul, Deron Williams, Tony Parker, etc.) are prized commodities nowadays, so are NBA power forwards (Durant, KG, Gasol, 'Sheed, etc.). You don't pass up amazing talents, no matter what position they play. Period.

5 comments:

Anonymous said...

I think the Bulls (really? the friggin Bulls???!!) will go with Beasely. They're relatively small, and have their PG in Hinrich, so Beasely fits their needs best IMO.

Here's to hoping.

Anonymous said...
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Anonymous said...

I certainly hope so. But if I were the Bulls, I'd consider Rose an upgrade over Hinrich, so I'd try to unload Hinrich, get some value, and take the budding superstar point guard. But I certainly hope you are right and they go with Michael "Stats Monster" Beasley.

ASponge said...

Mock drafts are indicating the Bulls with Beasley, so this could have worked out perfectly.

Anonymous said...

Getting #3 or #4 would've been far worse. We really are sitting pretty - we either get the most dynamic point guard talent to come out in years or a big man with tremendous scoring and rebounding prowess.