Nuggets Draft: How to Land Derrick Rose, Michael Beasley, or O.J. Mayo

The Denver Nuggets have the 20th selection in the 2008 NBA Draft and are leaning towards several candidates. How many people reading this thought that they have a chance of landing Michael Beasley, Derrick Rose, or O.J. Mayo?

Not many.

Several Mock Drafts have the College Stars drafted as this:

1. Michael Beasley-Miami Heat

2. Derrick Rose-Seattle Supersonics

5. O.J. Mayo-New York Knicks 

Allow me to remind you, crazy scenarios and trades have happened. 

In the event of the Nuggets acquiring Michael Beasley: 

Miami selects Michael Beasley with the #1 pick 

Denver selects Roy Hibbert with the 20th pick and trades him to the Heat along with Linas Kleiza for Michael Beasley.

Roy's presence is desperately needed on a Miami club that has no solid center to balance out their front line. He is also needed on a team that will be making adjustments this off-season with the hiring of Eric Spoelstra.  

Who were the Heat's Centers last season?

Earl Barron, Mark Blount, and Alonzo Mourning who's knees buckled on him right before the All Star Break and possibly ending his career in the league.

Blount was a solid contributor last season averaging over 8 points a game, but his rebounding is horrible, averaging 3.5 RPG (rebounds per game) last season.

Earl Barron did his best to step into the role of center, but his 4.3 RPG aren't exactly a major improvement from Blount's and his dismal 40.4% FG percentage certainly isn't too grand either.

The position is wide open for Hibbert.  

In the event of the Nuggets acquiring Derrick Rose:

Seattle selects Derrick Rose with the 2nd pick

Nuggets select Mario Chalmers with the 20th pick and send Allen Iverson to Seattle for Derrick Rose and the 32nd pick.

Look how the first year of forcing together inexperienced rookies got the SuperSonics: 62 losses and the second worst record in the NBA.

Iverson is a veteran guard that they could use to steer the team in the right direction and produce points. Seattle also comes out okay getting point guard Mario Chalmers, the defensive specialist out of Kansas. Chalmers was great during the Jayhawks championship run, highlighting it with his clutch three pointer with 7.2 seconds left to send the game against Memphis into overtime.

In the event of the Nuggets acquiring O.J. Mayo: 

New York selects O.J. Mayo with the 5th pick 

Nuggets draft Roy Hibbert with the 20th pick, send J.R. Smith, and Linas Kleiza for O.J. Mayo.

The Knicks starting Center last season: Eddy Curry.

One word describes Curry, underachieving. Curry's inability to rise to the high expectations stemming from his state championships at Thornwood High School in Illinois, has led to the label underachiever sticking with him since his days as a Bull and now as a Knickerbocker.

Hibbert would be a great fit for New York. Roy being placed in the Eastern Conference would be great for his confidence and will give him time to develop his game in the weaker conference. Hibbert also automatically becomes the 2nd tallest center in the East at 7'2. Only Zydrunas Illgauskas at 7'3 in Cleveland is taller. 

I would be ecstatic if any of these three get traded to the Nuggets.

Preferably, Derrick Rose, but O.J. Mayo makes an excellent consolation prize.

The 2008 NBA Draft is scheduled for June 26, 2008