NBA Draft: The Top Pick Should Smell Like a Rose

I was as shocked as every Bulls fan when I saw that the first player selected in this year’s NBA Draft would be coming to Chicago. 

With a 1.7 percent chance of landing the top pick, the Bulls weren’t supposed to get it, let alone land a top three pick.  Yet they did, and thus became the talk of the town once again.

The question now is who do they select next month? 

The top two names going into the Lottery are Michael Beasley and Derrick Rose. And, there are quite a few reasons as to why the first player off the board should be the local boy who won back-to-back state titles at Simeon High School.

First of all, anyone who follows professional basketball knows that point guards are crucial if a team is going to have success.  Deron Williams and Chris Paul have done so much for their teams already in their young careers.  Chauncey Billups and Tony Parker have rings to show for their accomplishments. 

A point guard is supposed to take the lead and guide the offense.  The Bulls have proven they can be a good team with the core they have, but they lacked leadership last season—one reason why they got off to a slow start this season and never recovered. 

As much as I love Kirk Hinrich, his lackluster play this season really hurt the Bulls.  He put up career lows in almost every crucial category, so it didn’t help the team that their so-called captain was struggling.

The talent is there, but a point guard like Rose would allow that talent to be used properly. 

Michael Jordan made everybody around him better when he was winning championships, and Rose can do just that.  The Bulls may lack a low-post scorer, but imagine what Rose can do with the guys down low already. 

His superb passing skills can set up Drew Gooden, Joakim Noah, and Tyrus Thomas for open looks in the key.  Look how Chris Paul made Tyson Chandler better. If Chandler weren’t in New Orleans right now, he might not have emerged as one of the best low-post men in the game. 

Rose can also give Luol Deng, Larry Hughes, and Thabo Sefolosha open looks anywhere inside.  Same goes for Kirk Hinrich and Ben Gordon, assuming one or both stays next season.  Imagine these names knocking down shots night after night.

The Bulls have been searching for a franchise player since the post-Jordan era began.  Elton Brand wasn’t around long enough to be considered one, and no one on the current roster ever emerged as a star. 

Rose can be that player.  He has even stated that he’d love to play for his hometown team.  True point guards are hard to come by, and now the Bulls have an opportunity to select one.

Michael Beasley could fill the low-post scorer need that has haunted them for years, but he’s too flashy for my tastes, and I have a bad feeling about his off-the-court issues.  The last thing this team needs is another cancer in the locker room.

John Paxson, this is your chance at redemption after this past season’s disaster.  It will put your true GM skills to the test, and the result of this pick will determine your legitimacy in assembling a team. 

Make a boy’s dream come true.  Let him come home to play for his team.