NBA: Who will be the 2008-09 Rookie of the Year?

With the NBA Draft in our rearview mirror, I suppose it's not too early to speculate on the frontrunners for next season's Rookie of the Year in the league.

The obvious choices as frontrunners are the top three picks: Derrick Rose, Michael Beasley and O.J. Mayo, though someone could come out of nowhere to win the award.

For our purposes, I will briefly outline the factors for and against each of the top three picks and then give my early pick for 2008-2009 NBA Rookie of the Year.

First up is first overall pick Derrick Rose of the Chicago Bulls.

One of the things that works for Rose is the simple fact that he was drafted number one overall.

It seems obvious he will get a chance to play, and being from the Chicago area doesn't hurt either.

The fact that the Bulls are only one season removed from being in the playoffs bodes well for Rose's initial success as well. Working against Rose is the glut of guards the Bulls seems to have.

Kirk Hinrich, Ben Gordon and others seem to be fighting for playing time right alongside Rose.

It would seem likely that the Bulls would attempt to move someone from their existing guard rotation to make room for Rose.

I say Kirk Hinrich is the most likely to go. 

Michael Beasley was drafted second overall by the Miami Heat.

It seems he plays the same position as Heat forward Shawn Marion, assuming Marion stays put and doesn't opt out of his contract.

It seems that Heat executive Pat Riley wasn't too excited to be getting Beasley on draft night, and you have to wonder how that may play out.

Riley is not the coach though, and shouldn't have any say in how much Beasley plays.

Beasley has power forward skills around the basket, despite being somewhat undersized height-wise.  He also has a solid all-around game, with some ability to shoot perimeter shots as well.

Third overall pick, O.J. Mayo, was traded for the team that originally drafted him, the Minnesota Timberwolves, to the Memphis Grizzlies in an eight-team trade involving fifth overall pick Kevin Love.

You have to assume that Mayo would step in as the starting shooting guard on either team, so the trade had no effect on his playing time or opportunity to play a lot.

In Memphis, they are struggling for star power and Mayo should instantly give that to them.

Credibility is one thing, as Mayo looks to be the best player on the team instantly.  He should have all the opportunity to play that he wants, barring injury or laziness. 

My pick for 2008-09 NBA Rookie of the Year at this incredibly early stage is O.J. Mayo.

As I stated, he should get significant minutes and should be a primary focus of the offense.

The 2007-08 Rookie of the Year, Seattle Supersonics' forward/guard, Kevin Durant won the award in similar fashion— bad team.

He can have all the shots he wants, which should equal production for Mayo as it did for Durant.

If I had to pick a sleeper candidate I would pick New Jersey Nets' center Brook Lopez or Indiana Pacers guard Brandon Rush.