Mario Chalmers Caught Smoking Pot

Well, that was hardly what the Miami Heat needed. Hopefully the franchise overlooks Chalmers' error in judgment, because we can't afford to let go of talent just to stand by our morals.

The funny thing is that the big red flag with Michael Beasley before the draft was the questionable character issues that he came with. The Heat supposedly were trying like crazy to avoid having to draft him because they feared his immature attitude running wild on South Beach. Now they have to deal with Chalmers' issue.

Frankly, I don't see the big deal. I'm tired of the media and major sports leagues going crazy whenever a guy smokes a little pot. I'm no proponent of illegal drugs, but honestly we have bigger things to worry about than what 22 year old millionaires are doing with their cash in their free time. As long as he isn't hurting anybody or abusing the drug to the point he is a detriment to the team, then I don't care.

If you get to the point where you are on cocaine like Josh Hamilton, then it gets scary. And I guess that's what the league fears---players getting out of control with drug problems. So I suppose putting them into a program is a good idea. But vilifying these guys does nothing to solve the problem.

It's sad when the drug problems get out of hand, but to be realistic, there is a huge percentage of guys doing that sort of stuff and it does little to nothing to prevent them from performing on the field or court. Look at Ricky Williams. Lead the NFL in rushing in 2002 while high all the time.

Anyway, I just hope this blows over. Chalmers is a nice talent and will likely be our starting point guard by February if the Heat choose to keep him around. We'll see.

Baron Davis to Clippers

Seemingly irrelevant news for Heat fans, who had no hope of teaming Davis up with Wade in the backcourt, but it looks like this spells bad news for anyone hoping to make Elton Brand the future C of this squad.

Davis' 65 million dollar deal with the Clippers opens the door for Brand (who is an unrestricted free agent now, thanks to his Monday opt out) to re-sign with the Clippers with the hopes of contending next season. It looks as if the Heat might miss out after all, even with Shawn Marion's expiring contract as a trade chip.

If we can't get Brand, then it's pretty certain that Marion will stick around for the 2008 season and that'll be that. His contract will be allowed to expire and the Heat will either try to re-sign him cheap or pursue Carlos Boozer next season. Boozer is just as good an option as Brand is in my mind, and is a bit younger. He has his flaws, but a tandem of Wade-Beasley-Boozer would be sick.

If not, then the Heat can choose to be frugal again in 2009, risking pissing Wade off, but then opening the door for Wade to be united with a huge superstar like Chris Bosh or even LeBron James in the summer of 2010. Seems like a pipedream, but we'll see.

I was hoping Brand would opt to go to Miami, which is looking unlikely as we can't sign him as an unrestricted free agent. Unless the Clips are looking to sign and trade him for Marion (don't see why they would) then he is pretty much certain to stay in LA.

The blogs at the Sun-Sentinel suggest maybe trying to scoop up Mickael Pietrus and/or Andris Biedrins from the Warriors, who are reeling from losing their best player to the Clippers. Both would fit excellently on this team, and a trade involving Marion that would bring both here would be ridiculously good for the Heat. Too good, it too, seems like a pipedream.

So there you have it, the Heat have a million options, but seem doomed to wait until next year because of the cap restrictions and their recent poor season which must be detrimental to their attempts at wooing free agents.

Best Draft in Heat History?

Tough to say, but I'd have to go with yes. The year we got Caron and Rasual Butler was a very productive draft for us, but Thursday night was the best night in Heat history aside from June 20th, 2006.

Drafting Michael Beasley, and keeping him, was the best move Riley could have made all night. I'm aware of his "character concerns", especially in a town like Miami, but he's a young guy and is a risk anywhere in the country. If he wants to go out on the town, he will. Face it. If the worst thing he does is go to a couple of clubs the night before a game, then I'll take the 25/20 he'll drop on any team in the league.

Granted, if he ends up failing in Miami, he'd be the most colossal bust in Heat history, and one of the biggest busts in NBA draft history. The thing is, the value we could have gotten for him in a trade was minimal. The Heat wanted OJ Mayo, and couldn't have known Minny would trade him to Memphis. He was going to go at 3 and there was nothing we could work out with Minnesota. The best option at that point was to stick with Beasley and go from there.

The funny thing is that I am almost as excited about our 2nd pick, Mario Chalmers, as I am about the Beasley pick. Michael can easily become our best player in time, yes even better than Dwyane Wade. But Chalmers is everything we need in a point guard and more. The guy plays D, shoots from the outside, and is clutch. That last shot against Memphis was a classic and proves he's got the leadership to take on the pressure when the time is right. Landing him for a couple of second rounders (we got one back after trading useless Darnell Thornton, nice player but no room) was a steal.

In a year in a half he should have molded into a starting caliber point guard. He won't be Derrick Rose or Steve Nash, but he can become good enough to run a championship team with Wade in the backcourt and Beasley at the 3 or 4. It really was a great day for the organization and for its fans, and everyone seems to agree we got the best draft in the league. Just hope for the best at this point. Wait out a rocky season that should see us get a 6 seed and maybe bounced in the first or 2nd round. Then 2009 will be our rise back to the top.

Please Draft Beasley

Enough of all the trade talks and speculation. My head is spinning from all the possibilities. Marion, the 2nd pick, Mark Blount, and even Dwyane Wade have all been discussed in rumors involving Miami and the NBA Draft.

As much fun as it would be to play fantasy NBA GM, I just want to draft Beasley tonight and sign him before Pat Riley does something foolish, like trading him. I understand they love OJ Mayo, but it's iffy if he can play the point in the NBA and Beasley is a force on the inside. You have a huge trade chip in Marion's expiring contract. Find someone who needs cap space and move him for an asset.

I still don't understand the problem with just signing Elton Brand this summer. If Brand is indeed interested in playing for Miami, why doesn't he just opt out and sign here? Wouldn't you prefer the 50+ million guaranteed over the next few years than a one year deal worth 16+? This isn't the NFL where you can get cut and lose all that money. If he would just opt out, it would save us a huge headache.

The problem then, of course, is that we would be way over the luxury cap without a way to dump salary. Micky Arison won't allow it. I think he should. I suppose it is a little too late, with our draft pick so close. Had we gotten a chance to sign Brand this summer, then we could have traded Haslem or Marion for a point guard, and draft Beasley, or kept them both and drafted Mayo. Who knows?

At this point, the only way to get Brand is to trade Marion or wait till next year. Instead, it is looking more and more likely that the Heat will just opt to dump salary through Blount and trade Beasley away just so they can sign Brand next season. It's a calculated risk. I'm not saying OJ Mayo isn't a special player, because he is, but Beasley is ridiculous. You'd be putting your job/legacy on the line by passing on him in an attempt to rebuild using other assets. We'll see.

Heat Pursuing Brand?

ESPN's Chris Broussard had an interesting tidbit of info on his blog yesterday.

The Clippers Elton Brand is in the same position as Shawn Marion. He's got one year left on his contract for a bloated 16-17 million bucks, but has the option to opt out if he wishes. Word has been for months that he might opt out to sign with Philadelphia, but Broussard says otherwise.

Apparently, the only way Brand would opt out of his current deal and take a paycut would be if he would be matched up with Dwyane Wade in Miami. That sound like a plan to me. Unfortunately the only way to make sure we get brand would be to trade Marion in a sign-and-trade. Broussard doesn't seem to think that's likely, but I would think that the Clippers would rather have Marion in exchange for Brand instead of seeing their star player walk away for nothing.

And if Brand opts out and is indeed looking to team up with Wade, then wouldn't we be free to sign him as a free agent? Then we would have the ability to trade Marion for some role players and/or picks. Then possibly draft Beasley anyway and march out a front line of Beasley, Haslem, Brand and Alonzo Mourning. Marion could bring us a point guard or a small forward, or both. Problem is matching up contracts and making sure we aren't a billion dollars over the luxury tax.

Or we could draft Rose if he falls to us, keep Marion and trade Haslem for a small forward. Or maybe keep Haslem as a role player, since I think the team could live with Ricky Davis/Dorell Wright at small forward.

Haslem could be moved at any time for a point guard as well, and in a scenario where we get Brand and Beasley, I would be happy to ship Haslem away. The possibilities are endless and my head hurts just trying to think of what the Heat could do if Brand were to force the Clippers' hand and get himself sent to Miami. Let's hope for the best, because the next 4 or 5 days are crucial for the success of this franchise.

Where Will Rose Land?

The big news this week was a statement made by point guard Derrick Rose, stating his desire to be drafted by his hometown Bulls #1 overall. Before I say anything, can we all just agree that the Bulls are freakin lucky to have the top pick? 1.7%?! They had no business getting the #1 overall selection when there were teams as bad as Miami and Seattle in the league. I hate the lottery system, and it needs to be fixed.

Anyway, I don't blame the guy for wanting to be picked by his hometown team. And it turns out the claims that he wouldn't meet with the Heat were unfounded, as the Memphis guard is in Miami this weekend to meet with Heat brass.

The interesting part is that despite all the speculation that Rose is our guy and that Riley wants to stay away from Beasley, it seems that Riles might have played us all the whole time. Michael Beasley was the top draft prospect since LeBron James and somehow he's turned into a guy the Heat can't wait to trade away once they draft him 2nd overall. We've all continually heard the Heat express an interest in Rose, and teaming him up with Wade in the backcourt. And all the while, the Bulls have been shifting their interest to Rose as well.

Could it be that Riley was purposefully showing a false interest in Rose, just so the Bulls would pass on Beasley and give us the most talented player in the draft. Sources have said the Heat aren't looking to have two slashers in the backcourt, and Rose is anything but a jump-shooter. And the fact we have yet to extend Shawn Marion (more on that later) suggests there might still be room for Michael Beasley in our front court.

I've said it all along, I really don't give a damn who we get, as long as it is one of those two. Either one would make a huge impact on this team and instantly make the Heat a playoff team again. A couple of moves here and there, with some 2009 cap space, and we're looking at a serious contender for 2009-2010. If we get Rose, excellent. Wade will have the ballhandling duties taken away and can focus on being the star. If not, then Beasley dropping 30/20 every other night will do just fine.

Wade's Finals Performance

A lot has been made recently on ESPN.com regarding statistician and columnist John Hollinger's rankings of the Greatest Finals Performances by an individual player. The cause for the uproar: Hollinger ranking our very own Dwyane Wade's 2006 Finals performance as the best all time.

I have to say, that was a bold statement by Mr. Hollinger. Wade is my favorite player in the NBA right now, but to put him above Jordan is a stretch. The thing is, Hollinger backs it up with some serious stats and arguments. Wade's PER (a stat Hollinger uses to determine efficiency, basically adds up positive plays and subtracts negative ones) was 6% higher than the next best performance of any player in NBA Finals history. You might remember Wade led the league in PER in 2005, but didn't receive any credit for it in the MVP race. Or was it 2006? Either way, it's a widely accepted stat that people have to respect at this point.

What helped Wade's performance was his constant trips to the free throw line and a well-rounded game the included steals, rebounds and assists to go with the nearly 35 points a game. The former is the reason for contention amongst so many fans. Any Heat fans knows that the 2006 Finals is notorious for non-Miami fans because everyone is convinced that the refs were in our favor. This despite the face the stats show that Dirk got more foul shots than any other player in playoff history that year, and the refs have historically been against us. Notice how we lost Games 2 and 5 in the ECF to Detroit, coincidentally reffed by Dick (Knick) Bavetta, who has a long and negative history with the Miami Heat.

It's frustrating to see nobody give credit to Wade, even 2 years after the fact. Hacks like Bill Simmons keep bringing up the foul shots like it was some conspiracy. Yeah, some of the fouls were ticky-tack. But the foul shots would never have been taken if Dallas didn't play Hack-a-Shaq halfway through every quarter. That was their own damn fault. Shooting 37% in the series didn't help either; it was clear that Miami outplayed them from Games 3-6, foul shooting aside.

I also hate the argument that Shaq was the sole reason we won and that Wade without Shaq is just Penny. These are the same people who call Shaq a fat and slow liability on the court. Pick one, guys. Either Shaq was an asset or a detriment to the team, he can't be both. The truth is that Shaq was a non-factor offensively and defensively in that series. Mourning was the guy who made all the plays. The only thing Shaq did was force Dallas to foul him and rack up the fouls shots. People will never seem to understand, and I just don't get what the problem is.

Even without the foul shots, Wade was clutch in Games 3, 5 and 6. He made some of the toughest shots in Finals history when it mattered most. And yes, maybe he took a lot of free throws, but he didn't choke and miss them either. He made those shots, so he deserves far more respect from the general public than what he gets now. I really wish people would see just how many of his foul shots were intentional fouls at the end of games (I've done the stats, it is impressive), just how many of his foul shots were due to Hack-a-Shaq, and I really wish people would see the following three plays of Game 6:

1) Udonis Haslem being called for traveling in the closing seconds of the game while trying to wrestle a rebound away. I've never seen anything that ridiculous called. He never fully got possession of the ball and the second he did, the refs handed the ball to Dallas.
2) James Posey's "double dribble", again in the final 2 minutes. How can you double dribble when you are hustling to grab a loose ball from going out of bounds. That is yet another iffy call that I have never seen called in that situation in any game in the NBA. Once again, Dallas ball.
3) And finally, up 3 with 10 seconds left, Gary Payton got beat by Jason Terry and purposefully yanked on his jersey as he turned a screen, BEFORE Terry could take a potentially game-tying shot. Rather than give us the foul, forcing Dallas to take foul shots and not allowing them a 3-point shot, the refs held their whistle and allowed the play to continue. Luckily the shot missed and the rest was history.

I challenge anyone to watch those three plays and tell me the refs were so in love with the Miami Heat that they planned on giving them the series. Go ahead. The great part is that it doesn't matter. No matter what anybody says, the Heat won a title. They were champs. We had the parade. I bought the DVD set. Try as they may, nobody can ever take that away from that 2006 team or its fans.

Wade Trade Rumors

I apologize for the lack of posts lately. Rather than post every day, which has become difficult recently, I believe that I will post fewer times a week, but with several pieces a day. That way I can still get my thoughts across to you guys.

In any case, I thought the whole Dwyane Wade to Bulls trade rumor should be addressed. I personally have never heard anything dumber in my entire life. Supposedly, the rumor is that Wade would go to the Bulls in exchange for moving up one spot in the draft, where the Heat would then select Derrick Rose. I have to say, only a fan blog could come up with something that ridiculous.

It's one thing to say we would trade Wade for the #1 overall pick and draft Rose and Beasley, planning for the future without Wade, who might opt out soon. That's still absolutely ridiculous. That itself would be stretching the limits of stupidity. So then try to imagine how incredibly dumb the real rumor is.

Wade is the cornerstone of the franchise. Period. I wouldn't trade him for anyone outside of LeBron James or Chris Paul. Maybe Deron Williams or Dwight Howard. Other than that, he is untouchable. And he is bordering on flat-out untouchable simply because he means so much to this community now that Jason Taylor is on his way out and Alonzo Mourning is at the tail end of his career. You can't trade the face of sports in Miami. You just can't.

I'm shocked that such a dumb rumor, and clearly a fabricated wishful thought on the part of a Bulls fan at that, would make it in a local paper and be addressed to Wade himself. Maybe if I say in this space: "LeBron James to the Heat for a 2nd round pick and Mark Blount", the papers up in Cleveland will go ask LeBron how he feels about joining his buddy Dwyane down in Miami.

Dorsey, Riley, and the #2 pick

You might have heard about the Joey Dorsey comments regarding his belief that Derrick Rose is the #2 pick in the draft. He has "inside sources", but really, who is to say he isn't full of it. Then again, why would he lie about his teammate falling below the #1 spot. I don't know what to make of the situation. I can only hope the Bulls go and take Beasley (hardly a bad move on their part) so we can rest easy and take Derrick Rose.

Ira's recent blog brings up an interesting point as well. We aren't working out Brook Lopez or Jerryd Bayless, so maybe Riley really has decided on picking Beasley if Rose is taken. It could also mean Mayo is a definite option at #2 or in a trade-down scenario. Because otherwise it would seem odd for Miami not to work out several Top 5 caliber picks to gauge its options.

One scenario would have us trading down to get Mayo, while unloading contracts and getting back a C/PG starter. If we could get Al Jefferson to move down to 3, I might consider bypassing Beasley. Otherwise, no thanks. Even then I'm not entirely sure that would be a wise move, and I seriously doubt the Timberwolves would make such a deal, but hey, I'm allowed to speculate.

Heat Have Offers for Beasley

The rumors continue to swirl about the Bulls being ready to take Derrick Rose with the #1 pick in the draft. Bad news for Heat fans who wanted that Wade-Rose backcourt. But Beasley is hardly a consolation prize, as he is technically the better talent.

However, the Herald reports there is a chance the Heat trade out of this pick. They've gotten offers from several teams ready and willing to trade up to get Beasley and I think they are pretty serious about making a deal. The thought of it terrifies me because I want one of the two elite guys in the draft. I don't want retreads or veterans that will clog up cap space.

What Riley is looking for is to move down a bit in the Top 10, and receive a top point guard or center starter, as well as dumping Mark Blount's salary to boot. That doesn't sound like such a bad deal. You can still draft a guy like DJ Augustin and get back a starter in return, while opening up some cap space for 2009. However, I simply can't shake the fact that Beasley is there for the taking. A deal might help us out in the short run, but I hate passing on once-in-a-decade talent.

Riley Steps Down

No real surprise here. We could have guessed that this recent season might have taken away Riley's desire to remain as coach. A disastrous last place finish isn't exactly what he had in mind when the season started. Now we have to move on with Erik Spoelstra, who by all accounts was the heir apparent for quite some time.

The move is welcome on this end. I love Pat for all that he's done, but maybe it was time for a change. I feel uncertain with an unproven guy like Erik at the helm, and will certainly miss having that security blanket of knowing Pat Riley is our coach. But it seems like the players have stopped responding to him and that someone new had to be brought in. Who better to lead the team than Dwyane Wade's personal favorite.

The only problem I have with that is that we might be catering to Wade too much. I don't want him to turn into a prima donna. But if he is happy, then that's a relief because everyone wants him to return to Miami after his contract is up in a couple of years. Drafting Derrick Rose would probably do a lot to ensure Wade doesn't go anywhere.

As for Riley, I'm glad he gets to stay onboard as President. It was in this situation that he managed to put together the trade that led to the 2005 title. He had the chance to step back from the situation, look at the team not as a coach, but as a GM. Now he can do the same. Hopefully we get Rose or Beasley and swing some sort of trade that opens up cap space for Elton Brand next summer. Then we will be back in the race.

Heat Win Finale Against Hawks

And so the 2007-2008 season has come to a merciful end. We've seen every major player on this roster (other than the immortal Ricky Davis) get shelved for the rest of the season due to injury. We traded Shaq in exchange for a future and saw our star player go down yet again. Riley took his hiatus and now his future seems uncertain. All in all, the Heat matched their putrid 15-67 record from their inaugural season.

It takes a pretty big combination of bad luck, bad play, and bad decision making to do as badly as an expansion team. Especially considering we just won an NBA title 2 years ago. It's a little embarrassing to be honest, but thankfully the NBA Lottery might give us a chance to return to form. This year's team, with the addition of a DeSagna Diop and a Derrick Rose easily makes the playoffs next year. Heck, with the way the East has been of late, that might be good enough for a 4 seed. The future isn't so far away.

I really hope Riley returns next year because I do think the team has a chance to succeed. If he doesn't, then I would do everything I could to cater to Dwyane Wade. It's still not certain that he is staying in Miami after his contract expires. We have to surround him with talent and coaching that will make him comfortable. I think putting Spoelstra at the helm will do that, and I wouldn't doubt that everyone in the Heat organization knows that.

Let's just pray for a top 2 pick come May 20th.

Rose and Beasley Declare for Draft

Shockers of the century there. In any case, it's official that both top prospects for this June's NBA Draft are ready to make the leap to the next level. There was no doubt in anyone's mind that they wouldn't turn pro, but you never know. Beasley had no reason to return to KState, but that national title collapse by Memphis might have convinced Rose to stay and win a championship.

Had either remained in school, then we really would have needed that #1 overall pick. As it stands, I am rooting for the 2nd selection so we won't second guess ourselves in the future. Just take whichever is left over. Save a little bit of cash too I guess.

The final decision between Beasley and Rose would be a tough one. Most of the fans seem to want Rose after seeing his NCAA Tournament play and I would have to agree. Beasley is ridiculous and I would be just as happy with him, but as it's been said many times on this blog, we need someone other than Wade to take the ballhandling duties. Marion/Haslem at PF would do just fine, especially if we plan on getting Brand in 2009.

Mayo Going Pro

A couple of days ago you might have noticed that USC guard OJ Mayo declared his intentions to enter the NBA Draft this June.

The much ballyhooed high schooler would have been a Top 5 pick last year had he been allowed to enter the draft, and not much has changed. The problem with Mayo is that he is a bit undersized for a shooting guard and might have to be moved to the 1 to play in the NBA. That seemingly would be a good thing for the Heat, who I believe are pretty set at the 2 position with some guy named Dwyane Wade.

However, I question Mayo's ability to lead a team at point guard in the NBA. There's no doubt the guy has superior talent and is a great scorer. However, he is nowhere near the rebounder or playmaker that Derrick Rose is. If Miami gets the shaft and is stuck with the 3rd or 4th pick, Mayo will be on the board and Riley will have a serious decision to make. I'm not entirely sure picking Mayo would be the best option in that scenario.

Not that he won't be a productive player at the next level, but there are several problems, including character issues, with risking a Top 5 selection on a guy like Mayo. After the Top 2 selections, there really is no clear-cut #3 guy. If I were the Heat, I would be bribing the hell out of the NBA to get one of those top 2 picks.

Should Zo Retire?

We were all under the impression that this was Alonzo Mourning's final season, and when he went down with that nasty leg injury earlier in the year, we just assumed it was over for Zo. He has his ring and needs to focus on his longterm health for his family. Even Zo was heard saying it was over for him on the court.

However, Alonzo has progressed nicely through his rehab, and is said to be a month ahead of schedule. According to Israel Gutierrez, Mourning has said "time is going to dictate my basketball future." Doesn't sound like he is retired to me.

Personally, he should have retired after the Dallas series. He dominated defensively and defined his legacy on the Heat. It would have been perfect to ride out in a blaze of glory. Instead he returned for this smoldering heap of garbage. That being said, with the right moves, the Heat could be back in contention as soon as next season. If he feels he's still got it, and his health hasn't been negatively affected at all, then I'm all for it.

But I'm greedy. Zo really needs to consider his family and his future above all. Hopefully he will make the best decision.

Rose Chokes, Memphis Loses

Well, I wouldn't say choked. But Derrick Rose did have a chance to ice the game last night and failed miserably. Without him, Memphis wouldn't have been in the position to win, but it was still disappointing to see him miss a free throw that would have sealed the deal and the title. Eerily reminiscent of the Game 6 free throws that Dwyane Wade missed. Luckily, Miami pulled off the victory anyway. Not so for the unfortunate Tigers, who I felt looked like the better team (but not by much).

It goes to show that one moment doesn't have to make or break a player's career. Rose is one of the top 2 talents in the draft, and most people seem to think he is the logical selection for the Heat if he is available. 18 of the 23 people who voted on the poll on this site preferred Rose over Beasley. I would venture to say that Riley will likely select Rose if we have the option. He just fits a bigger need and is the best option to play with Wade long-term.

I have to say I'm impressed with Rose overall. He looked like he had a killer instinct late in the game, save for the missed free throw. His penetrating ability is excellent and he might be the best rebounding guard I've seen come out in some time. He would be a huge asset to the Heat and even if Michael Beasley ends up being a superstar, I would feel comfortable drafting Derrick Rose.

Riley Selected into Hall of Fame

No-Brainer #2 of the day was the selection of coach Pat Riley into basketball's Hall of Fame today. It's been a tough year, but Riley surely will get some solace from receiving this honor. I can't imagine many people more deserving of the honor than Riley.

He's won 5 titles as coach with 2 different teams, most recently leading our beloved Heat to the 2005-2006 NBA Championship. Riley also holds the NBA record for most victories as a coach, currently with 1208. What makes Riley exceptional is his years of experience handling talented teams and balancing the egos on those rosters. He is a master motivator, with a seemingly endless supply of techniques and ploys to help complacent or indifferent players back on the path to success. Without him, Miami doesn't win the 2005 title. Stan Van Gundy wouldn't have been able to pull those guys together and help spark a comeback in the Finals.

Riley will be inducted along with All-Time greats Patrick Ewing and Hakeem Olajuwon, two dominant centers that faced off against each other as Riley coached in the 1994 NBA Finals between the Rockets and Knicks. It's good company to have. Also, Dick Vitale, a staple of College Basketball telecasts, will be inducted in the Hall of Fame. Annoying as he may be, that honor is well-deserved as well.

Rose Looking Good Tonight

Right now it would be hard to make the case that Miami would be making a mistake by taking Derrick Rose over Michael Beasley. I don't think you can go wrong with either, but Rose is looking very impressive against UCLA tonight. He has excellent driving ability and can finish at the basket. He also is very aggressive on the boards and can find the open man. He really is the perfect point guard to be paired up with Dwyane Wade.

I think I would be leaning towards Rose now because of who Dwyane Wade is. Beasley is a special talent, but he won't be taking any of the ballhandling duties from Wade. We've seen this season that Dwyane desperately needs a good point guard who can get him the ball. When he is forced to create for himself and for his below-average teammates, Wade gets reckless and turns the ball over. Beasley would be a scoring option, but he wouldn't dominate the ball. Rose can handle the point guard duties, letting Wade do his thing.

That's probably the tiebreaker between the two prospects, assuming of course that we get the #1 pick. As you've seen, we aren't guaranteed even a Top 3 selection, something that is required if we want any shot of drafting Derrick Rose. With the news that Eric Gordon, Brook Lopez, and Jerryd Bayless are going pro, Miami will have plenty of solid options at #3 or #4 in that scenario. I don't know if any of those guys will make the immediate impact that either Rose or Beasley could make, and in that case I would consider trading down or packing the pick for something useful.

Official Lottery Odds

So much for my bad math. Apparently they do remove the lottery balls of selected teams before the next lottery selection is drawn. These are the official official numbers, per Ira, assuming we don't blow it and win 5 games in the closing stretch.

Top Pick: 25% and our selection is either Beasley or Rose.
Top Two Pick: 46.5% and it's probably Rose.
Top Three Pick: 64.3% and frankly, I don't know. Unless we get lucky and Memphis is ahead of us (they won't need Rose), then we are looking at either D.J. Augustin or Brook Lopez or God knows who.

Crean to IU

Why is this important? The fate of the Indiana University basketball program usually has little to do with South Florida sports (unless you are talking about Devin Ebanks, but he's not coming here), but tonight there is an interesting twist that might make the exception. Marquette coach Tom Crean has been pegged to replace Kelvin Sampson at Indiana next season.

If you remember, it was Crean that coached Dwyane Wade back in 2003 when Marquette went to the Final Four before getting bounced by Kirk Hindrich and the Kansas Jayhawks. It had been suggested somewhere in the media recently that Crean might be an interesting option as the future head coach of the Miami Heat. Pat Riley's status for the next season is still unknown, and catering to your star player might have proven a wise move, considering the fact the team is still in rebuilding mode.

Now that option has been taken away. Not that it was ever a viable choice, but still it makes for a good reminder that it's still up in the air as to who Miami's coach will be next season. I would like Riley to return and fulfill his contract, but eventually the reins have to be handed over to Erik Spoelstra if he really is the prodigy everyone makes him out to be.