With the Miami Heat picking second in the coming NBA draft, they figure to take whoever the Bulls don’t out of the consensus top-2 available — Michael Beasley and Derrick Rose. Well, that would make sense since the Heat have needs at point guard and in the front court. But apparently Chad Ford of ESPN.com thinks that Miami will go a different route, taking the scandal-surrounded O.J. Mayo out of USC.
I have no clue how this makes sense for anybody. Without a competent player running the point for the Heat, the team will continue to be a disaster. Rose and the Heat’s resident superstar, Dwyane Wade are both basically combo-guards and while Mayo can play the 1 in theory, he is the type of shoot-first player that you would want to avoid in a rebuilding stage.
The most intriguing rumour I’ve heard is a possible deal that was in the works pre–lottery. There was talk between Miami and Chicago about sending Kirk Hinrich south. In that scenario, Miami could walk away with some major holes plugged with Hinrich and Beasley on the roster. The Bulls would also get hometown boy Derrick Rose and some other pieces.
Well, it also looks like the Bulls aren’t going to be announcing anything until they step up to the podium at the draft, so we’re in for a rumour-reffic month or so.