The Sports World According to Koss
  • 03:37 PM ET  05.21
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The Bulls have no choice come June 26th in New York City: Take Michael Beasley.

He has the ability and size to become one of the top forwards in the league in just his rookie season. 

Beasley averaged 26.5 points (third in the nation) and 12.5 rebounds (first) last season as a freshman, and set the National Freshman and Big 12 records for double-doubles in a season. On top of that, he shot 53.2 percent from the field and 37.9 percent from behind the arc, giving him the ability to both play down on the block and bring it out to show the range.

In other words, this is a no brainer.

I'm tired of this talk of Derrick Rose, as well. I'll concede he is a good player and it may be hard to find a point guard that can run in the NBA, but I won't concede that he can have as big an impact as Beasley in his first year.

Beasley is a 6'9", 235-pound animal that can go bang inside and still pop outside and hit the shot. Players that are this special and this size don't come along that often, and I believe he will be the rookie to make the biggest impact on the game since LeBron James was selected in 2003.

Add to this the fact that the Bulls already have a good point guard in Kirk Hinrich, so, unless they plan on blowing up the roster, Beasley quickly becomes the better pick in the current situation. It would net a starting five of Hinrich, Gordon, Deng, Noah and Beasley. That's a pretty impressive lineup when you look it over; even if it is a little small, it's something that you'd think you can win with. 

So with all respect to Derrick Rose, I think that the Chicago Bulls need to take Michael Beasley with the first overall pick in the NBA Draft. I think he is a better fit with the Bulls' current roster situation, and that he has the ability to be an immediate impact player.

May 21, 2008  03:54 PM ET

Duh

May 21, 2008  04:21 PM ET

Koss - I like Beasley too, but I don't mind Rose THAT much. I also agree that Beasley isn't getting 1/2 the hype that Rose has received in Chicago, due to the fact that he's a home town hero. I just hope that doesn't enter into the equation as the Bulls decide on which player has the better chance of becoming a star at the NBA level.

May 21, 2008  06:34 PM ET

Since i am reading that Miami will trade out of #2 if the Bulls take Rose, and Miami might be interested in Hinrich, here is the scenario i would love to see as a Bulls fan:

Bulls take Rose #1 and trade Hinrich and either Nocioni/Thomas/Gooden to Miami for the rights to #2. Then promptly take Beasley for the 1-2 knockout combo! Am i dreaming or could the Bulls possibly come away with both Rose & Beasley?

A starting 5 of Rose, Hughes, Deng, Beasley, and Noah with Gordon & and an improved Sefolosha coming off the bench be ridiculously good!

May 22, 2008  03:00 PM ET

i completely agree with you, i dont know why all the chicago sports writer want derrick rose. i think he is the best point guard of the draft but we have Kirk hinrich who above 14 points a game 6+ ast for his career. Beasley i think will be a superstar, a scorer that we haven't had since Air 23 left.

Beasley is a no brainer, i dont know if getting both rose and beasley would be a good idea.

Please john paxon dont mess this one up.

May 23, 2008  02:24 AM ET

u must be from miami, and want rose for yourself. First off, Pax is gonna blow up the roster, that cancer of a guard hughes can hopefully be moved along with gordon and probably tyrus thomas. Thomas has loads of potential but doesnt have good work ethic, plus we picked up gooden and he played his butt off, and i think his scoring average will go up significantly if the bulls run some pick and rolls with him like they did after they brought him in. So adding rose, a true point guard will help out with Goodens progression. Plus they got Heinrich an ex team mate of Goodens at Kansas, so theres some cohesion and Noah in the middle whos a workaholic along with deng, Nocioni, and thabo. Good bye Duhon, Gordon, Hughes, and Thomas. Hello Rose, a real point guard, something i cant recall us ever having, to go with the real post threat in Gooden and the slashers deng etc. I like that better than picking beasley personally, and heres to the bulls naming Jeff Hornacek the next head coach, theres my picks

May 23, 2008  11:37 AM ET

It all comes down to Tyrus. If Thomas can reach his potential, Rose is the better pick because we already know what Kirk can do, no knock on him but what you see is what you are going to get. Si is it Kirk and Beasley or Tyrus and Rose?.

May 23, 2008  11:41 AM ET

I agree but after CP and D Williams it will tempting to take Rose and dangle Hinrich as trade bait for teams that need a PG

Like Miami

May 23, 2008  11:42 AM ET

But they need low post scoring and in East I could see them taking Beasley and playing him at the 4, moving Gooden to the 5 and trading Thomas

Bring Noah off the bench for 20-25 mpg

May 23, 2008  01:41 PM ET

Personally i say you keep BG. Everybody wants to trade him, but to i don't see how that would make the bulls better. we see that the league becoming more and more perimeter oriented and losing one of the top shooters in he game won't work. So I say you take Rose. To me it's a win-win, but you can always move hinrich, hughes, thomas, or even gooden and try to get a legit frontcourt scorer. Post threats are much easier to come by (Ahem: Jermaine O'neal) than true PG phenoms like Derrick Rose. PLus it's the hometown hero, and grew up a big fan of MJ. No question it was meant to be..Don't blow it PAX.

May 23, 2008  01:43 PM ET

So this is my projected starting 5. maybe wishful thinking, but who cares? I can dream

PG Derrick Rose
SG B.G.
SF Luol Deng
PF Jermaine O'Neal, or Elton Brand
C Joakim Noah

 
May 25, 2008  05:21 AM ET

There are compelling arguments for both players. Consider how good Paul made Ty Chandler look this year. Is possible Rose could have a similar impact on Thomas and definitely Noah. A talent like Beasley will make Hinrich a better PG because he will probably convert more often leading to more assists. I'm also not ready to right of the talent on the Bulls after 1 terrible season. If the team performed this year as they had the last few seasons there would be no debate. It would be Beasley without any hesitation. I would love to see Brand and Rose, but I don't have a problem with having Beasley and Hinrich. I keep going back in forth on who I want. This is driving me crazy, but right now I am so excited about being a Bulls fan. Come on Pax and Go BULLS!

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